Comment 1
Comment 2
References:
Title: A POMDP Approach to P300-Based Brain-Computer Interfaces
Authors: Jaeyoung Park, Kee-Eung Kim, and Sungho Jo
Venue: IUI 2010, Feb. 7-10 2010
Summary:In this paper, the authors describe a method of optimizing the number of attempts a brain-computer interface (BCI) needs to use to find information from the user. They did this by creating a program that displayed a 2x2 or 2x3 matrix to the user and then flashed prospective letters at them (at left).
They used a learning system called POMDP to attempt to guide in the flashes to what the user wanted. This system required a lot of training before the system could be used on human subjects. However, when they tested it on humans, they found that the accuracy was much higher by 30 flashes than the normal algorithm, and maintained that accuracy all the way to the maximum of 60.
Discussion:
This paper was interesting because we get to see some more bleeding-edge research in BCI. The paper this time was significantly more readable than the previous one, but I still got lost in the probabilities.
One thing that bothers me again is I don't really see the big benefits of this at this stage. Of course, EEG-based programs are still in their infancy, but I don't see how flashing letters can later become navigating the pointer or typing with my mind. Maybe in a few years I will be able to see the connection.
(Image courtesy of: this paper)
These types of projects always fascinate me as to what is possible. It still seems, unfortunately, that it is a long way off to being perfected. And maybe the flashing of images cuts through a lot of the noise that EEGs usually give out.
ReplyDeleteI got incredibly lost in all the probabilities of this paper. I also didn't like that this solution was computationally infeasible for real world applications. I think that is a significant flaw.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in that even though it is interesting to see BCI research, you can't really learn much from this stage of their research.
ReplyDeleteHow does the system interact with humans? I think the real advances in this type of technology will be developed in medicine first, for lost limbs and synthetic replacements. They already have those working, perhaps the authors of this project could learn from that and attempt to emulate a virtual hand or something.
ReplyDelete