Brain-computer interface research at the University of South Florida Cognitive Psychophysiology Laboratory: the P300 Speller

IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng. 2006 Jun;14(2):221-4. doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2006.875580.

Abstract

We describe current efforts to implement and improve P300-BCI communication tools. The P300 Speller first described by Farwell and Donchin (in 1988) adapted the so-called oddball paradigm (OP) as the operating principle of the brain-computer interface (BCI) and was the first P300-BCI. The system operated by briefly intensifying each row and column of a matrix and the attended row and column elicited a P300 response. This paradigm has been the benchmark in P300-BCI systems, and in the past few years the P300 Speller paradigm has been solidified as a promising communication tool. While promising, we have found that some people who have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) would be better suited with a system that has a limited number of choices, particularly if the 6 x 6 matrix is difficult to use. Therefore, we used the OP to implement a four-choice system using the commands: Yes, No, Pass, and End; we also used three presentation modes: auditory, visual, and auditory and visual. We summarize results from both paradigms and also discuss obstacles we have identified while working with the ALS population outside of the laboratory environment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • Electroencephalography / methods*
  • Event-Related Potentials, P300 / physiology*
  • Evoked Potentials
  • Florida
  • Humans
  • Neuromuscular Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Neuromuscular Diseases / rehabilitation*
  • Psychophysiology / methods
  • Research Design
  • Therapy, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Universities
  • User-Computer Interface*