Brain-Computer Interfaces Group

Click here to see our group in the media

Overview

In 2004, we started a group in human-machine interaction with an emphasis on brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). BCIs can be used for capturing brain signals and translating them into commands that allow humans to control (just by thinking!) devices such as computers, robots, rehabilitation technology and virtual reality environments. Our aim is to expand the current limits of this technology while still using non invasive means.

The BCI Lab

Our Lab comprises 70m² within the CES Department. The lab is divided in four experimental areas, one of the them being shielded against EM interference. Our lab is one of the best equipped labs for non-invasive BCI research in Europe. Our equipment now includes: 5 EEG systems (2 Biosemi ActiveTwo systems, 64 and 128 channels, respectively; 2 32-channel gTec systems, and a 24-channel Mindset system), a 24-channel near infra-red system, a 16-channel Nexus EMG system (plus 8-channels for other physiological signals), a Jazz eye tracker, a MagStim BitStim transcranial magnetic stimulation system, many Biometrics Ltd electrogoniometers and accelerometers, two Edubot robotic manipulators, 3 Lego NXT robots, three virtual reality systems, and 4 Bionics electrical-control medical chairs, aside from the necessary computer equipment to interface with the above devices. We also have a 182-processor Viglen/Rocks cluster dedicated to our research.

News

Jan. 2008:    Riccardo Poli and Francisco Sepulveda have been awarded an EPSRC grant. The project "Analogue Evolutionary Brain Computer Interfaces" will start in June and will receive £370,000.00 from the EPSRC More Details.

June 2007:  Three of us (F. Sepulveda, M. Dyson, and M. Salvaris) were shown on Channel 4 television in a demonstration of brain-actuated robot navigation.  The segment went to air on June 11 in the series 'The Farm Revealed' (produced by LionTV), which introduces cutting edge technology to young audiences.  The work shown was developed within the AABAC project led by John Gan (see 'Grants/Projects' in the menu above).

Sept. 2005:   We have just been given an EPSRC grant in cooperation with Oxford University.  The project entitled 'Adaptive Asynchronous Brain-Actuated Control' starts in January.  Of the £442,401.00 for the project, £261,939.00 are for our Essex group.  More Details

August 2005:   The EPSRC project entitled 'Mining for Novel Signatures in Multi-Channel EEG for Brain-Computer Interfaces' (worth £123,000) has started.  More Details.

March 2005:   The BCI group has been granted £273,000.00 from SRIF3 to build new lab facilities.  In addition to this, the Comp. Sci. Dept. has given us a 70m² area for the new lab.