Neural Point-and-Click Communication by a Person With Incomplete Locked-In Syndrome

Daniel Bacher; Beata Jarosiewicz; Nicolas Y Masse; Sergey D Stavisky; John D Simeral; Katherine Newell; Erin M Oakley; Sydney S Cash; Gerhard Friehs; Leigh R Hochberg

doi:10.1177/1545968314554624

Neural Point-and-Click Communication by a Person With Incomplete Locked-In Syndrome

Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2015 Jun;29(5):462-71. doi: 10.1177/1545968314554624. Epub 2014 Nov 10.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA daniel_bacher@brown.edu.
² Dept. of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Dept. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA.
³ Dept. of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
⁴ School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Dept. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA.
⁵ School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Dept. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA Dept. of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
⁶ Dept. of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
⁷ Dept. of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Dept. of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁸ Dept. of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
⁹ School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Dept. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA Dept. of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Dept. of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Abstract

A goal of brain-computer interface research is to develop fast and reliable means of communication for individuals with paralysis and anarthria. We evaluated the ability of an individual with incomplete locked-in syndrome enrolled in the BrainGate Neural Interface System pilot clinical trial to communicate using neural point-and-click control. A general-purpose interface was developed to provide control of a computer cursor in tandem with one of two on-screen virtual keyboards. The novel BrainGate Radial Keyboard was compared to a standard QWERTY keyboard in a balanced copy-spelling task. The Radial Keyboard yielded a significant improvement in typing accuracy and speed-enabling typing rates over 10 correct characters per minute. The participant used this interface to communicate face-to-face with research staff by using text-to-speech conversion, and remotely using an internet chat application. This study demonstrates the first use of an intracortical brain-computer interface for neural point-and-click communication by an individual with incomplete locked-in syndrome.

Keywords: ALS; assistive technology; paralysis; spinal cord injury; stroke; text entry.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Brain-Computer Interfaces*
Communication Aids for Disabled
Communication*
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Quadriplegia / rehabilitation*
User-Computer Interface*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding