Brain-computer interface, commonly referred to as BCI, uses brain activity to
control and communicate with external devices including computers, remote controls,
televisions, prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, and so much more. The Federal Register
(2014) mentions that BCI devices have the potential to reestablish working movement
and sensory abilities to those who are disabled. The way a BCI usually works begins with
the device attaining signals from the brain, then the signal is processed and classified to
find out which kind of mental task the brain is trying to perform, and lastly the signals are
used to perform the task. In order to get the highest-resolution signal from the brain,
scientists need to implant the BCI device directly into the brain. This approach has many
difficulties because of how invasive the procedure is, and the fact that it isn't a long-term
solution due to the scar tissue that would grow around the implanted device
(Grabianowski, 2007). Another option is to attach a device, referred to as an EEG, to the
skull. This is the type of brain-computer interface that is seen in movies or used by
gamers. The problem with this approach is that because the EEG is attached to the
outside of the head, the skull ends up blocking a lot of the signals sent by the brain, and it is not a practical approach for someone who relies heavily on the device. There is a
middle ground known as a partially invasive implant. The BCI is implanted inside the
skull and it is connected to electrodes that can be seen on the surface of the head.
Although this approach is partially invasive, it doesn't have the same high quality results
demonstrated by the invasive brain-computer interface devices because the signals are
not as strong or precise. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the significance of the
development of Brain Computer Interface by analyzing the background, potential benefits, legal, ethical, and social issues, security concerns, and the further required research for this new technology.
Pictures from: computer.howstuffworks.com/brain-computer-interface.htm
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