A functional BCI model by the P2731 working group: psychology

ABSTRACT

The development of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) gathers experts and specialists in various fields, such as engineering, computer science, medicine, or cognitive neuroscience. Each of these disciplines has specific terminology, which makes mutual understanding and research collaboration difficult. The IEEE P2731 working group aims to improve communication between BCI researchers by developing a functional model and standards for terminology that can be used as a common description framework for all the involved knowledge fields. This work focuses on the vocabulary of mental processes involved in BCI communication and describes their role in a Functional Model that considers their influence on BCI performance. Finally, it presents potential uses of the proposed model.

KEYWORDS:

• BCI
• mental task
• individual differences
• cognitive processes
• human factor

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The term ‘subjects’ is used when humans wearing BCI apparatus are passive participants in scientific study. The term ‘users’ applies when participants are attempting control of external actuators, e.g., digital or mechanical systems, through brain waves detected by BCI.

2. Please see ‘A Functional BCI Model by the P2731 working group: Physiology’ in the same issue for an introduction to the neurophysiology of BCI systems.

3. Please see ‘A Functional BCI Model by the P2731 working group: Transducer’ in the same issue for information about machine learning and other techniques for directly inferring a subject’s intent.

4. Please see ‘A Functional BCI Model by the P2731 working group: Physiology’ in the same issue.