Interface Design Challenge for Brain-Computer Interaction

Great things can be achieved even with very low bandwidth. Stephen Hawking has been able to break new ground in theoretical physics just by twitching his hand and cheek. Jean-Dominique Bauby was able to write a bestselling memoir by blinking one eyelid. By reading and decoding “brain-waves”, the field of brain-computer interfacing (BCI) is poised to open up the possibility of such expression, even for people who can no longer move a single muscle. A BCI still requires an HCI front-end to be of practical use, but many currentlyused HCIs do not adequately address limitations on the typical target user’s input (e.g., limited eye movement leading to poor spatial vision) or output (e.g. variable delays, and false positives/negatives, in “pressing the button”). In this symposium, BCI experts will present their view of the challenges arising from these limitations. The HCI community is invited to participate in a competition to provide the best solutions.