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Computer Science Department Colloquium BCIs: New patient groups, applications, and issues Speaker: Brendan Allison, Visiting Scholar, Cognitive Science Department, University of California, San Diego When: 11:00AM ~ 11:50AM, October 19, Friday, 2018 Where: CSB130 Contact: Chuck Anderson(Chuck.Anderson@colostate.edu) Abstract: Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide communication without movement. Users instead perform specific mental activities that an electrode cap or other device can detect. Automated tools can translate these activities into messages or commands, providing real-time feedback to the user. For decades, BCI research focused almost exclusively on restoring communication to persons with severe motor disabilities. While this remains a major goal of most BCI researchers, new applications for new patient groups have moved beyond initial research and are translating to clinical practice. Several therapy centers have opened since 2016 that only provide rehab therapy based on BCIs. Over a dozen groups worldwide now use BCIs to help assess people diagnosed with a disorder of consciousness (DOC) and during neurosurgery with awake and/or anesthetized patients. I will present some new results from these three directions, and discuss some emerging issues with the broadening field of BCI research. Bio: Dr. Allison has been active in EEG research for over 20 years, most of which involved brain-computer interface (BCI) systems. He earned his PhD in Cognitive Science in 2003 at UC San Diego, and has since worked with several top researchers and institutes, including Prof. Wolpaw at the New York State Dept of Health, Prof. Polich at The Scripps Research Institute, and Profs. Pfurtscheller and Neuper at Graz University of Technology. He is a Founding Board Member of the BCI Society and editor of the BCI Journal. Dr. Allison’s recent work involves extending BCI technology to help new patient groups. This includes persons seeking motor rehabilitation after a stroke and persons with disorders of consciousness (DOC). People with stroke or other movement disorders could use BCIs that detect motor imagery to improve rehab therapy. BCIs can also provide assessment of consciousness and (in some cases) limited communication for DOC patients. |