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The brain–computer interface cycle

REVIEW ARTICLE

Marcel van Gerven1, Jason Farquhar2, Rebecca Schaefer2, Rutger Vlek2, Jeroen Geuze2, Anton Nijholt3, Nick Ramsey4, Pim Haselager2, Louis Vuurpijl2, Stan Gielen2 and Peter Desain2

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TOPICAL REVIEW

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) have attracted much attention recently, triggered by new scientific progress in understanding brain function and by impressive applications. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the various steps in the BCI cycle, i.e., the loop from the measurement of brain activity, classification of data, feedback to the subject and the effect of feedback on brain activity. In this article we will review the critical steps of the BCI cycle, the present issues and state-of-the-art results. Moreover, we will develop a vision on how recently obtained results may contribute to new insights in neurocognition and, in particular, in the neural representation of perceived stimuli, intended actions and emotions. Now is the right time to explore what can be gained by embracing real-time, online BCI and by adding it to the set of experimental tools already available to the cognitive neuroscientist. We close by pointing out some unresolved issues and present our view on how BCI could become an important new tool for probing human cognition.


PACS

87.80.-y Biophysical techniques (research methods)

87.19.L- Neuroscience

07.05.Wr Computer interfaces

Subjects

Instrumentation and measurement

Medical physics

Biological physics

Dates

Issue 4 (6 August 2009)

Received 9 April 2009, accepted for publication 1 July 2009

Published 22 July 2009



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