Brain Machine Interfaces for Space Applications: enhancing astronaut capabilities

Among the most interesting fields in research are the emerging possibilities to interface the human brain directly with machines, e.g. with computers and robotic interfaces. The European Space Agency's Advanced Concept team as a multidisciplinary team from engineering, artificial intelligence, and neural engineering has been working on the cutting edge of exploring brain machine interfaces for application in space as solutions to limitations astronauts face in space, and this book for the first time presents the state-of-the-art-cohesively.

CONTENTS

Contributors......................................................................... xi
Foreword ............................................................................... xv
Preface ................................................................................... xvii


SECTION ONE

HYBRID BIONIC SYSTEMS

EMGBased and GazeTrackingBased Man-Machine Interfaces

Federico Carpi and Danilo De Rossi

I. Introduction ........................................................................ 4


II. EMGBasedInterfaces............................................................. 5


III. GazeTrackingBasedInterfaces.................................................. 12


IV. FinalRemark ....................................................................... 19
References .......................................................................... 19


Bidirectional Interfaces with the Peripheral Nervous System

Silvestro Micera and Xavier Navarro

I. Introduction ........................................................................ 24


II. OrganizationandFunctionofthePNS ........................................ 25


III. Nerve Electrodes:TypesandApplications..................................... 28


IV. Stimulationand RecordingNeuralSignals .................................... 31


V. BiomedicalApplications.......................................................... 33
References .......................................................................... 35


Interfacing Insect Brain for Space Applications

Giovanni Di Pino, Tobias Seidl, Antonella Benvenuto,
Fabrizio Sergi, Domenico Campolo, Dino Accoto,
Paolo Maria Rossini, and Eugenio Guglielmelli


I. Introduction ........................................................................ 40


II. Interfaces............................................................................ 41


III. SensoryandMotorMapping..................................................... 44


IV. ProposingaModelofHybrid Control Architecture ......................... 45


v

vi CONTENTS

V. ConclusionsandOutlook......................................................... 46
References........................................................................... 47


SECTION TWO

MEET THE BRAIN

Meet the Brain: Neurophysiology

John Rothwell

I. Introduction......................................................................... 52


II. HowDoNeuronsTransmit Information?...................................... 53


III. Synapses ............................................................................. 55


IV. TheMotorAreasofthe CerebralCortex....................................... 57


V. PlasticityofPrimaryMotorCortex .............................................. 63


VI. Conclusions ......................................................................... 64
References........................................................................... 65


Fundamentals of Electroencefalography, Magnetoencefalography, and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Claudio Babiloni, Vittorio Pizzella, Cosimo del Gratta,
Antonio Ferretti, and Gian Luca Romani


I. Introduction to Electroencephalography andMagnetoencephalography ................................................... 68

II. Physiological GenerationofEEG/MEGSignals............................... 69


III. EEG and MEG Techniques Allow the Study of Brain Rhythms............. 73


IV. FunctionalMagneticResonanceImaging ...................................... 74


V. Physiological Generation of Blood Oxygen LevelDependent Signal ...... 75

VI. TypicalfMRIExperimentalDesigns............................................. 77


VII. BOLDfMRITechniquesin Clinical Environment ............................ 77
References........................................................................... 78


Implications of Brain Plasticity to Brain-Machine Interfaces Operation:
A Potential Paradox?


Paolo Maria Rossini

I. Introduction......................................................................... 82


II. BrainPlasticity ...................................................................... 83


III. BrainPlasticityandBMISystems ................................................ 87


IV. MonitoringPlasticityDuringBMIControl ..................................... 88


V. Conclusions ......................................................................... 89
References........................................................................... 89


CONTENTS

SECTION THREE

BRAIN MACHINE INTERFACES, A NEW
BRAINTOENVIRONMENT COMMUNICATION CHANNEL


An Overview of BMIs

Francisco Sepulveda

I. Introduction ........................................................................ 94


II. MainElementsinaBMI.......................................................... 96


III. BMITypes........................................................................... 99


IV. BMIsandtheUser’sAbility...................................................... 102


V. Conclusion.......................................................................... 104
References .......................................................................... 104


Neurofeedback and Brain-Computer Interface: Clinical Applications

Niels Birbaumer, Ander Ramos Murguialday, Cornelia Weber, and Pedro Montoya

I. Introduction ........................................................................ 108


II. FunctionalMagnetic ResonanceImaging: fMRIBMI ........................ 109


III. BMIinLockedinSyndrome..................................................... 110


IV. BMIinStrokeandSpinalCordInjury ......................................... 112


V. Conclusion.......................................................................... 114
References .......................................................................... 115


Flexibility and Practicality: Graz Brain-Computer Interface Approach

Reinhold Scherer, Gernot R. MullerPutz, and Gert Pfurtscheller

I. Introduction ........................................................................ 120


II. GrazBCI ............................................................................ 120


III. Applications......................................................................... 122


IV. Discussion ........................................................................... 127
References .......................................................................... 129


On the Use of Brain-Computer Interfaces Outside Scientific Laboratories: Toward an Application in Domotic Environments

F. Babiloni, F. Cincotti, M. Marciani, S. Salinari, L. Astolfi,

F. Aloise, F. De Vico Fallani, and D. Mattia

I. Introduction ........................................................................ 134


II. Methodology........................................................................ 135


viii CONTENTS

III. Results................................................................................ 142


IV. Discussion ........................................................................... 144
References........................................................................... 146


Brain-Computer Interface Research at the Wadsworth Center:
Developments in Noninvasive Communication and Control


Dean J. Krusienski and Jonathan R. Wolpaw

I. Introduction......................................................................... 147


II. SensorimotorRhythmBasedBCIControl...................................... 149


III. P300BasedBCIControl........................................................... 152



IV. CurrentandFutureDirections................................................... 154



V. Conclusion .......................................................................... 155
References........................................................................... 155



WatchingBrain TV and Playing Brain Ball: ExploringNovel BCI Strategies Using RealTime Analysis of Human Intracranial Data

Karim Jerbi, Samson Freyermuth, Lorella Minotti, Philippe Kahane, Alain Berthoz, and JeanPhilippe Lachaux

I. Introduction......................................................................... 160


II. MaterialsandMethods............................................................ 161


III. Results................................................................................ 161


IV. Discussion ........................................................................... 166
References........................................................................... 167


SECTION FOUR

BRAINMACHINE INTERFACES AND SPACE

Adaptive Changes of Rhythmic EEG Oscillations in Space:
Implications for Brain-Machine Interface Applications


G. Cheron, A. M. Cebolla, M. Petieau, A. Bengoetxea,

E. PalmeroSoler, A. Leroy, and B. Dan

I. Introduction......................................................................... 172


II. SpontaneousEEG Fluctuations:Whereisthe Baseline? ..................... 172


III. Howto Manage AlphaandMu Oscillationsin Space........................ 173



IV. From the Identification Process to the Exploitation ofBrainOscillationsinSpace.................................................... 174


V. The Influence of TopDown Dynamics on BCI Approach ............... 176



VI. Gamma EEG Oscillations: AWindow into Cognition, Perception, Attention, Binding,or MicrosaccadicEye Movements ....................... 179

VII. The Gating of the SomatosensoryEvokedPotentials asaNewToolsforBCI............................................................ 179 References........................................................................... 183

CONTENTS

Validation of Brain-Machine Interfaces During Parabolic Flight

Jose del R. Millan, Pierre W. Ferrez, and Tobias Seidl

I. Introduction ........................................................................ 189


II. Methods............................................................................. 190


III. ExperimentalResults.............................................................. 193


IV. Discussion ........................................................................... 196
References .......................................................................... 197


Matching Brain-Machine Interface Performance to Space Applications

Luca Citi, Oliver Tonet, and Martina Marinelli

I. Introduction ........................................................................ 200


II. Methods: PerformanceMeasuresofHBSs ..................................... 201


III. Materials............................................................................. 202


IV. Results:Matching InterfacesandDevices...................................... 205


V. PossibleDemonstrators ........................................................... 208


VI. Conclusions......................................................................... 209
References .......................................................................... 210


Brain-Machine Interfaces forSpace Applications-Research,Technological
Development, and Opportunities


Leopold Summerer, Dario Izzo, and Luca Rossini

I. Introduction ........................................................................ 214


II. AnOutlookonBMIResearchTrends.......................................... 215


III. Future Manned Space Programs-Planned or Envisioned.................. 217


IV. NextStepsTowardBMIsforSpaceApplications............................. 220


V. Conclusion.......................................................................... 221
References .......................................................................... 221


Index ...................................................................................... 225
Contents of Recent Volumes................................................ 231

Space Science; Neuroscience; Bioinformatics; Bioengineers; Robotics