DEVELOPING BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACES FOR SPINAL CORD INJURY PATIENTS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
DEVELOPING BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACES FOR SPINAL CORD INJURY PATIENTS: EEG CHARACTERISATION OF MOVEMENT INTENTION AMONG SPINAL CORD INJURY PATIENT
IRAS ID
141350
Contact name
Syahrull Hi-Fi Syam Ahmad Jamil
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an incapacitating condition affecting physical and psychological health. It leads to loss of movement and/or sensory function, profound lifestyle change, increased risk of depression, drug dependence as well as increased hospital admissions and decreased general health. SCI drives the patient to be discriminated, isolated and restricted from the daily life activity.
Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive method to record brain activity, using arrays of sensors placed on the scalp of the subject. An EEG based Brain Computer Interface (BCI) uses information extracted from EEG waves that relate to specific actions. These extracted signals can be used to communicate with external devices offering alternative means of communication to SCI patients. For example, a BCI system can extract specific information about a person’s intention to move in different directions.
The purpose of this research is to develop a non-invasive BCI that is based on detecting attempted movements in different directions and which could be use by SCI patients to control assistive devices such as an electric wheelchair. The target population for this study is spinal cord injury patients and we will recruit subjects from the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injury Unit, Southern General Hospital where this research will take place.
We will record surface EEG using a certified commercial device. Each subject will be asked to sit in front of a computer monitor and will hold a special joystick that measures wrist position while responding to instructions displayed on the monitor to move or attempt to move their wrist in different. The recorded EEG signals will be analysed to extract information associated with the different movement directions. This information will be used to translate the different EEG signals to commands that can steer an electric wheelchair simulated in virtual reality developed in Biomedical Engineering at Strathclyde.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 1
REC reference
15/WS/0116
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jul 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion