Eamon Doherty

Improving the performance of the cyberlink mental interface with “yes / no program”

We summarise the results of the first studies to investigate the Cyberlink brain body interface as an assistive technology. Three phases of studies and a contextual inquiry were performed with a range of users. A focus group was formed from brain-injured users with locked-in syndrome who have no other method of communication or control of a computer than the Cyberlink. Versions of a Yes/No program were then created to allow communication and have achieved some success with the focus group. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how this program has been improved and what steps need to be taken to create communication programs for persons with severe motor impairment. As a result of our experiences, we have been able to develop a set of design guidelines for brain-body interface operated Yes/No programs. These are presented and justified on the basis of our experiences. We also raise some general issues for assistive technologies of this nature.

Mixing oil and water: transcending method boundaries in assistive technology for traumatic brain injury

A prototype assistive technology for traumatic brain injury has been developed using a combination of formative experiments and contextual design. Both approaches have proved to be essential to the development of a simple communication program using a brain-body interface device. We describe the combination of these methods and their separate and joint contributions to the evolution and evaluation of an assistive technology. Our experience suggests that failure to use either research method in assistive technology development would result in critical oversights in design and evaluation.

Using a cyberlink mental interface for relaxation and controlling a robot

This paper discusses a brain computer interface technology that allows disabled persons with physical and/or mental disabilities to control a computer to play games and communicate at a basic level. It was interesting that a head administrator at the institution where the research took place noted that it was her opinion that the people who took part in the research seemed more relaxed, a little more self confident, and many appeared to really reduce their involuntary movements during game playing. The researcher asked a group of people to relax at the beginning and end of each test session over a period of approximately a year. A data capture program using a FFT (fast fourier transform) averaged the amplitude of EMG (Electromyograph) signal waves over five seconds to measure relaxation. The data was tabulated by and the results are displayed. The Cyberlink target audience was found to be intelligent persons with no other method of operating input devices or controlling their environment. It was discovered during formal interviews and during experiments that quadriplegic persons wished to use the Cyberlink not only for communication and recreation but to also power a robotic arm much as one uses a prosthetic arm.

A study examining the performance of the cyberlink mental interface

A group of persons with a variety of neurological and mental impairments participated in a study to investigate the use of a mental interface and a trackball to point and click in a Windows 95 environment. Each participants disability, medications, and performance with each input device are displayed. Some observations are made and discussed. The paper concludes with a participant using a newly modified version of the Yes No program to communicate. This person can use no other input device except using the Cyberlink to communicate or control a computer.