Improving Players‘ Control over the Neurosky Brain-computer Interface

In mid-2009, NeuroSky released the first consumer brain-computer interface (BCI). MindGames, since that time, has been developing games which players control with their powers of concentration and relaxation via consumer brain-computer interfaces. At present, all users of these novel interfaces are inexperienced, and have trouble controlling them. Therefore MindGames would like to develop a method for helping as people to learn as quickly as possible to activate the "relaxation" and "concentration" controls of the BCI. A pilot study with n=4 subjects was conducted in order to assess the feasibility of developing a real-time hint system which would: 1) detect what the user needs to do in order to increase the output of the Meditation function of the NeuroSky MindSet; 2) then offer behavioral suggestions which would, if carried out correctly, increase the output of Meditation accordingly. Research was structured into three tracks of inquiry: first, are there behavioral suggestions ("hints") which increase the output value of Meditation; secondly, are there hints which increase the output value of particular brainwave types (alpha, gamma, theta waves) which are known in the literature to be associated with meditative states, and therefore are likely to be part of the Meditation function; and thirdly, is there a typical shape for the power spectrum of the headset output (consisting of alpha, gamma, theta waves) for high values of Meditation. With a 95% confidence level, several hints which are associated with attaining meditative states were found to significantly increase Meditation. More statistical analysis will have to be performed in order to determine whether some of these hints affect alpha, beta or gamma waves at a high confidence level; however, some patterns were observed in the data which support this idea. However, there is most likely no typical shape for the power spectrum at high values of Meditation. Therefore, a system which gives directed hints (the user must increase his alpha output, therefore an alpha-increasing hint is given) is most likely not feasible. However, there is now support for the effectiveness of certain hints in raising users' Meditation output. Samantekt Um mitt ár 2009, gaf NeuroSky fyrsta heila-tölvu viðmótið út á almennan markað. Síðan þá hefur MindGames þróað tölvuleiki sem notendur stýra með athyglisog afslöppunarkröftum sínum í gegnum heila-tölvu viðmótin. Á þessum tímapunkti eru allir notendur þessarar tækni óreyndir og eiga því erfitt með stjórn viðmótsins. MindGames vill því þróa aðferð til að hjálpa fólki að læra eins fljótt og hægt er að virkja “afslöppunar” og “athyglis” stjórntæki viðmótsins. Rannsókn var gerð á n = 4 þátttakendum til að komast að því hvort hægt væri að útbúa rauntímavísbendingakerfi sem myndi: 1) finna hvað notandinn þarf að gera til að auka Meditation gildi NeuroSky MindSet; 2) bjóða svo hegðunartengdar ábendingar sem myndu, ef framkvæmdar á réttan hátt, auka gildi Meditation. Rannsóknin var byggð upp í þrjár leiðir; Í fyrsta lagi, eru til hegðunar ábendingar sem auka gildi Meditation; Í öðru lagi, eru til vísbendingar sem auka gildi ákveðinni heilabylgja (theta, alpha, gamma bylgja) sem eru þekktar fyrir að tengjast hugleiðingarástandi; Og í þriðja lagi, er til einkennandi form kraftrófs MindSetsins fyrir há gildi af Meditation. Nokkrar vísbendingar reyndust auka Meditation, með 95% öryggisbili. Frekari tölfræðigreining þarf að eiga sér stað til að ákvarða hvort þessar vísbendingar hafa áhrif á alpha, theta eða gamma bylgjur á háu öryggisstigi. Það er þó líklegast ekki til neitt einkennandi form fyrir kraftrófið við há gildi af Meditation. Þess vegna er kerfi sem gefur ákveðnar vísbendingar („notandi þarf að auka alpha-gildin) líklega ekki mögulegt. Þó hefur stoðum verið rennt undir þá kenningu að ákveðnar vísbendingar hækki gildi á Meditation.