How does a BCI work?
Many people with disabilities use computers to communicate and to control their environments. However, conventional methods for using computers, like typing on a keyboard or moving a computer mouse, require muscle control and thus may not be useful for people who have little or no muscle control. In contrast, a BCI allows people to use electrical signals from the brain, rather than muscles, to select letters for word-processing and email, to select icons on a computer screen, or to operate devices controlling television settings or room temperature. Studies have shown that even people who have lost muscle control due to disease, neuromuscular disorders, or injury can use BCI systems by changing their brain activity so that a computer can detect their intent and translate it into device control.
