Utrecht neuroprosthesis System: New Features to Accommodate User Needs

Abstract

Individuals with locked-in syndrome can benefit from Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) as an alternative assistive technology for communication. The Utrecht NeuroProsthesis (UNP) is a fully implanted ECoG based BCI that provides the user with independent control of a computer using intentional brain signals. In order to avoid technology abandonment and to stimulate home use, a user-centered approach to design and development of the system is essential. Here we show accommodation of several of the needs expressed by users of the UNP system, including new features that provide the user with control over the system during the night and which increase training efficacy.