Conceptual Design of BCI for Mobile Robot Control

Kanstantsin Miatliuk,Agata Nawrocka,Vassilis Moulianitis,Karolina Holewa

doi:10.3390/app10072557

Abstract

This paper presents an application of Hierarchical Systems (HS) technology in conceptual and detailed design of Brain Computer Interface (BCI) system to control a mobile robot. The BCI is a biomechatronic system that includes biological (brain), computer (control PC), electronic (sensors), visual informatics (LCD—liquid crystal display, GUI—graphic user interface) and executive electro-mechanical (MR—mobile robot) subsystems. Therefore, the conceptual model of the designed BCI system should present connected formal models of the above subsystems presented in the general systemic basis. The structure of the BCI system, its dynamic realization as a unit in its environment and MR environment are presented formally as well. In addition, the conceptual model should also take into account the BCI inter-level relations performed by MR coordinator implemented in the form of the design and control system. Therefore, HS model (and its standard block aed—ancient Greek word) is selected and described as the formal basis of the conceptual model of BCI system in the first part of the given paper. BCI system detailed design is under consideration in the second part of the paper. BCI control system and MR design results, as well as MR control process are also described in the final part of the paper.

Highlights

At the end of the 20th century, leading research centers around the world, i.e., Graz University of Technology, Austria; University of Rochester, USA; EPFL, Switzerland; etc., initiated research aimed at developing Brain Computer Interfaces—BCI, which provide communication between a computer and a human brain
There two control scenarios realized in the experimental study: of the BCI control system
Application of novel Hierarchical Systems technology in conceptual and detailed design of a BCI (Brain Computer Interface) system implemented to control a mobile robot is presented in this paper

Summary

Introduction

At the end of the 20th century, leading research centers around the world, i.e., Graz University of Technology, Austria; University of Rochester, USA; EPFL, Switzerland; etc., initiated research aimed at developing Brain Computer Interfaces—BCI, which provide communication between a computer and a human brain. We deal with the conceptual design of the laboratory-level. BCI system created in Process Control Dept., AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland [1,2]. This BCI system consists of measuring and computer control subsystems, mobile robot (MR) and man-operator. All the subsystems are briefly described in this paper.

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Discussion

Conclusion