Towards a truly mobile auditory brain-computer interface: exploring the P300 to take away

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Previous research introduced a low-cost, wireless 14-channel EEG system for field recordings.
• The P300 event-related potential is a well-established neural marker often used in cognitive studies and brain-computer interfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the reliability of measuring single-trial P300 responses using a wireless EEG system during outdoor ambulation.
• To assess the feasibility of a mobile auditory brain-computer interface (BCI).

Main Methods:

• Twenty healthy participants performed an auditory oddball task in both seated and walking outdoor conditions.
• Data were analyzed using regularized stepwise linear discriminant analysis for single-trial P300 classification.
• P300 amplitudes were compared between target and distractor stimuli, and classification accuracies were calculated.

Main Results:

• A significant P300 amplitude difference was found for targets versus distractors, irrespective of recording condition.
• Above-chance single-trial P300 classification accuracies were achieved, with 71% in the seated and 64% in the walking condition.
• Information transfer rates were comparable to laboratory-based auditory BCI studies.

Conclusions:

• Single-trial P300 responses can be reliably measured with a wireless EEG system during free outdoor walking.
• The findings support the development and feasibility of truly mobile auditory brain-computer interface systems.