Brain computer interface for neuroprostheses

Abstract

Even with all the technological advancements we see today in the field of medicine, people with spinal cord injuries or stroke patients face significant challenges when it comes to carrying out their day to day activities. Patients suffering with quadriplegia face many restrictions when it comes to performing their daily activities due to their limited hand use. However, if we are talking about restoring their motor capabilities, the question of how the user operates the command system comes into picture. As people with disabilities are our main focus here, we can agree to the fact that most of them cannot control the system using their hands. This is where a Brain computer interface (BCI) comes into picture. BCIs acquire the signals that arise in the brain using electrodes which can be placed on the skull or intracranially, process them and converts them into commands that can control a robotic arm or neuroprostheses or for cursor selection, etc. In this review, we discuss what a BCI is, it’s history, components of a BCI system, what all types of signals can be used in a BCI system, a little deep dive into the non-invasive approach and discuss a few papers about the application of BCI in the field of neuro prostheses.