1. Non Invasive Brain Computer Interfaces for Communication and Control
Fabio Babiloni
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology,
University of Rome “La Sapienza”
Fabio Babiloni
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology,
University of Rome “La Sapienza”

2. Technologies for the study of brain functions
Epilepticus sic curabitur ('The way to cure an epileptic')
Sloane Manuscript, collection of medical manuscripts, end of the 12th century - British Museum, London
Epilepticus sic curabitur ('The way to cure an epileptic') The surgical treatment of epilepsy is not a recent innovation. As early as ancient Greek and Roman times, and in the Middle Ages, trepanation (the opening of the skull) was occasionally carried out on people with epilepsy. There were many different reasons for doing this, however. There was seldom a rational, medical reason for the operation, for instance to raise a piece of the skull cap which had entered the inner part of the skull as a result of an injury, perhaps in war, and which was thought to cause epileptic seizures in the patient. In such a case, the surgeon tried to raise the piece of bone and thus remove the cause of the epilepsy. Mostly, however, there were mystical, superstitious reasons for the trepanation operations which were performed. It was thought that opening the skull cap would cause the demons of the sickness, poisonous gases or disease-causing juices to escape. The practice of cauterisation was based on the same beliefs. In this picture, the person with epilepsy ('epilepticus') is undergoing both procedures - trepanation and cauterisation - at the same time.

3. Technologies for the study of brain functions
Cauterisation (15th century)
Image taken from the first medical textbook "Cerrahiyyet'ül Haniyye", written in Ottoman language by the Turkish surgeon Serafettin Sabuncuoglu.
Cauterisation (15th century)
Image taken from the first medical textbook "Cerrahiyyet'ül Haniyye", written in Ottoman languageby the Turkish surgeon Serafettin Sabuncuoglu.
From the Ancient World to the Middle Ages, cauterisations were also used in the treatment of epilepsy.

4. Hyeronimus Bosch, The stone of madness, El Prado, Madrid

5. The scene painted by Jan Sanders van Hemessen shows a stone cutter at a fair. The surgeon, who is clearly happy that his operations have been successful, painstakingly moves his knife towards the stone, which is already visible. Behind him hang stones which have been successfully cut out of the head of other patients as a sign of his skill. Next to the quack stands a man who is wringing his hands in desperation - he is clearly going to be the next patient under the scalpel
Jan Sanders Van Hemessen ( ), The surgeon 1550, El Prado, Madrid

6. Variations of EEG waves are correlated with some mental states
8-12 Hertz, mu EEG waves
Variation of oscillations and absolute level of amplitude can be modulated by the experimental subject
8-12 Hertz, alpha EEG waves

7. “To move things is all that mankind can do; … for such the sole executant is muscle, whether in whispering a syllabe or in felling a forest.”
Sir Charles Sherrington, 1924

8. What a BCI is
“Brain–computer interfaces (BCI’s) give their users communication and control channels that do not depend on the brain’s normal output channels of peripheral nerves and muscles.”
“A BCI changes the electrophysiological signals from mere reflections of CNS activity into the intended product of the activity: messages and commands that act on the world”
Wolpaw, 2002 8

9. Modification of Brain Signals
BCI: logical scheme
Increase of performance
appropriate feature extraction
Modification of Brain Signals
Signal Features
computer training
user training
Psychological
Effort (Intention)
Classification
Of Intent
Environment
appropriate feedback strategy

10. Movement-related thoughts elicited specific cortical patterns
Neuroscientific studies with fMRI have demonstrated that motor and parietal areas are involved in the imagination of the limb movements
Several EEG studies have also demonstrated that imagined movements elicited desynchronization patterns different for right and left movement imaginations
Imagined left movement
Executed left movement

11. EEG features for BCIs Detection of mu rhythm modulation
Detection of P300
Detection of Slow Cortical Potentials
Detection of steady-state VEPs
SINC 2007 11 11

12. Sensory motor rhythms
SMR is a 8-12 Hz oscillatory rhythm of the brain’s electrical activity.
It is detected on the central electrode sites (over the sensorimotor cortex)
It is associated with inhibition of motor activity
From Wolpaw et al. 2002, Clinph 12 12

13. EEG features for BCIs Detection of mu rhythm modulation
Detection of P300
Detection of Slow Cortical Potentials
Detection of steady-state VEPs
SINC 2007 13 13

14. P300 Potential P300 potentials
The P300 is an event-related potential, dominating at parietal electrode sites.
P300 follows unexpected sensory stimuli or stimuli that provide task related information
P300 speller
From Selllers & Donchin 2006, clinph

15. Research Applications
Speller
“Symbolic” Communication
Game
Environment Control
“Virtual” Mobility
Mobility
Neuroprosthesis

16. Ministero degli Affari Esteri
Progetto “Brain Computer Interfaces Between China and Italy (BCI2)”
Speller
Credits:
F. Aloise
F. Babiloni
U. Sapienza, Roma
S. Gao
Tsinghua Univ., RPC
B. Hong

19. Fondazione Banca Nazionale della Comunicazione
Progetto “Inclusione nella ICT di soggetti affetti da grave disabilità motoria tramite…”
Game
Credits:
F. Aloise
F. Babiloni
U. Sapienza, Roma

21. Fondazione Telethon
Progetto “ASPICE”
“Virtual” Mobility
Credits:
F. Aloise
G. Oriolo
U. Sapienza, Roma
A. Cherubini

23. European Commission – 6th Framework Programme Progetto “MAIA” FP6
Mobility
Credits:
J. Millàn
IDIAP, CH
M. Nuttin
KU Leuven. B
F. Cincotti
FSL

24. P300-based control of a domestic environment

26. Neuroprosthesis Credits: F. Babiloni F.Aloise F. Cincotti FSL
M.C. Carrozza
SSSA, Pisa

27. Future trends
“It’s always hard to make prediction, especially about the future”
“640 KB RAM will be adequate for everybody in the future”
Bill Gates, 1981
IBM
“Computers are interesting, but the mondial market for them is limited in the future to not more of 5 pieces per year”
Thomas Watson, IBM president, 1949
“People will not wear scalp electrodes during normal daylife”
Chief of Research and Development of a mobile phone company