Abstract
The P300 event-related potential is a well-known pattern in the electroencephalogram (EEG). This kind of brain signal is used for many different brain-computer interface (BCI) applications, e.g., spellers, environmental controllers, web browsers, or for painting. In recent times, BCI systems are mature enough to leave the laboratories to be used by the end-users, namely severely disabled people. Therefore, new challenges arise and the systems should be implemented and evaluated according to user-centered design (USD) guidelines. We developed and implemented a new system that utilizes the P300 pattern to compose music. Our Brain Composing system consists of three parts: the EEG acquisition device, the P300-based BCI, and the music composing software. Seventeen musical participants and one professional composer performed a copy-spelling, a copy-composing, and a free-composing task with the system. According to the USD guidelines, we investigated the efficiency, the effectiveness and subjective criteria in terms of satisfaction, enjoyment, frustration, and attractiveness. The musical participants group achieved high average accuracies: 88.24% (copy-spelling), 88.58% (copy-composing), and 76.51% (free-composing). The professional composer achieved also high accuracies: 100% (copy-spelling), 93.62% (copy-composing), and 98.20% (free-composing). General results regarding the subjective criteria evaluation were that the participants enjoyed the usage of the Brain Composing system and were highly satisfied with the system. Showing very positive results with healthy people in this study, this was the first step towards a music composing system for severely disabled people.
Highlights
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are useful tools to provide communication without the need of any voluntary muscular control
A BCI can be an assistive device for people who are suffering from severe disabilities, i.e., who cannot communicate via the normally available channels due to motor degeneration or brain damage [1]
The designed Brain Composing system consists of three parts: the EEG acquisition system, the P300 control software, and the music composing software
Summary
Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are useful tools to provide communication without the need of any voluntary muscular control. A BCI can be an assistive device for people who are suffering from severe disabilities, i.e., who cannot communicate via the normally available channels due to motor degeneration or brain damage [1]. Farwell and Donchin [2] developed the first P300-based BCI application utilizing the so-called oddball paradigm where approx. Almost all existing BCIs attempting to evoke the P300 pattern visually are using this method. This type of BCI allows writing characters and letters or selecting commands on a computer screen. Based on the oddball principle, auditory [4] and tactile [5] P300-based BCIs were developed and evaluated with healthy as well as severely disabled people, e.g., [6,7,8,9]. Applications for entertainment have been developed [13, 14]
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