Online control of a robotic manipulator by a brain computer interface based on SSVEP

Abstract

A Brain Computer Interface (BCI) provides a channel of communication and control amid the human brain and a computer or electronic device. In this paper we describe the implementation of all the main steps involved in the operation of a BCI system based on Steady State Visually Evoked Potential (SSVEP) paradigm. Also, we present a comparative study about the performance of our BCI employing two feature extraction techniques (Welch’s Method and Discrete Fourier Transform), and considering the signal analysis window of two sizes (4 and 6 s). The results guided the conception of an online BCI-SSVEP. Our system was successfully controlled by two volunteers, who completed the task of moving a foam block with a robotic manipulator.