Graz BCI Conference 2017

Three workshops will occur during Graz BCI Conference 2017:

• Cloud-based BCIs: challenges and opportunities of home-use systems for big data collection;
• Facilitators and barriers of using mobile EEG: a workshop using the extreme test case of BCIs for space flights;
• Passive BCI, Lab Streaming Layer, and Neuroadaptive Technology.

Cloud-based BCIs: challenges and opportunities of home-use systems for big data collection

Bringing brain-computer interfaces from the lab environment into the homes of patients and consumers requires three components: 

1. Cloud-based realtime signal processing and machine learning that generalises across large datasets, 
2. Low-cost, wireless EEG hardware with sufficient signal quality for scientific and clinical purposes, 
3. User-friendly, cross-platform software applications to make the system directly accessible to endusers. 

Tackling this challenge may be the key to enabling robust communication and control for patients, and breaking the limitations of current research in terms of sample size and longitudinal data. With this workshop we aim to bring experts from both inside and outside the BCI community together to inspire future work that will allow us to overcome existing boundaries, both in research and in clinical practice.

Facilitators and barriers of using mobile EEG: a workshop using the extreme test case of BCIs for space flights

Since the advent of mobile EEG with which the subject is no longer constrained by a lab environment, but can be tested in a realistic environment, an increasing number of application areas are opening up for investigation. For example, mobile EEG offers new research opportunities in Sports and Movement Science, Entertainment, Neuromarketing and more fundamental Cognitive Neuroscience. However, mobile EEG also confronts us with new technical and experimental challenges. During our workshop we aim to start a constructive multidisciplinary technology assessment to identify the main barriers and facilitators of mobile EEG. To facilitate the discussion, we focus on the extreme use scenario of Brain-Computer Interface research for space flights. Thus, speakers will first present their scientific findings, experience and challenges with mobile EEG. Then, we narrow the discussion to the extreme use scenario of BCI for space flights, which prepares workshop participants for a final group discussion.

Passive BCI, Lab Streaming Layer, and Neuroadaptive Technology

This workshop is aimed at participants interested in applications of BCI technology in Human‐Computer Interaction for users without disabilities. It is intended to represent the Society for Neuroadaptive Technology (SNAT) and to support the communication between this society and BCI researchers. Dr. Thorsten O. Zander will present and discuss the aims of passive BCI research, Neuroadaptive Technology and modern Human‐Computer Interaction. This part represents a forum to identify synergies and develop new ideas. Dr. David Medine and Ratko Petrovic, will present technological developments for passive and hybrid BCIs. Dr. Medine will present the Lab Streaming Layer (LSL), an open‐source software project for synchronized, multi‐modal data streaming and recording. Mr. Petrovic will present recent hardware developments compatible with LSL. The third part is a hands‐on demonstration with Neuroadaptive Technologies. In several groups,participants use an application combining passive BCI, gaze control and dry electrodes.

For more information about BCI/EEG press here.