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How Many People Can Use a BCI System?

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Clinical Systems Neuroscience

Abstract

Most brain–computer interface (BCI) systems utilize one of three approaches: sensorimotor rhythms (SMRs), P300s, or steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEPs). Numerous groups have reported that these approaches do not provide effective communication for a small percentage of users. This phenomenon has been called BCI illiteracy, inefficiency, or other terms. This chapter reviews this challenge across the three major BCI approaches. We review studies with a large number of users to assess how many people can use each type of BCI and discuss new efforts that could bring BCIs to broader user groups. Improved signal processing and feedback could benefit SMR BCI users, the face-speller may help P300 BCI users, and limited training could help SSVEP BCI users. Nonvisual BCIs could also enable people who are minimally conscious to answer “yes” or “no” questions. While there remain some people who cannot use a BCI, progress is being made to extend BCI technology to broader groups.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. G.tec Medical Engineering GmbH/Guger Technologies OG, Herbersteinstr. 60, 8020, Graz, Austria

    Günter Edlinger & Christoph Guger

  2. Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA

    Brendan Z. Allison

  3. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA

    Brendan Z. Allison

Authors
  1. Günter Edlinger
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  2. Brendan Z. Allison
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  3. Christoph Guger
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Günter Edlinger .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Systems Neuroscience Section, Department of Rehabilitation for Brain Functions, Research Institute of National, Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Tokorozawa, Japan

    Kenji Kansaku

  2. Human Cortical Physiology and Stroke Neu, National Institute of Neurological Disor National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Leonardo G. Cohen

  3. Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Niels Birbaumer

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Edlinger, G., Allison, B.Z., Guger, C. (2015). How Many People Can Use a BCI System?. In: Kansaku, K., Cohen, L., Birbaumer, N. (eds) Clinical Systems Neuroscience. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55037-2_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55037-2_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

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  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-55037-2

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