Keeping Disability in Mind: A Case Study in Implantable Brain-Computer Interface Research

Area of Science:

• Neural Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• User-centered design (UCD) aims to bridge the gap between BCI researchers and end-users.
• While end-user studies exist, researchers' perspectives on UCD remain under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand neural engineering researchers' experiences and attitudes toward UCD in Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) development.
• To identify practical and ethical considerations for integrating UCD into BCI research.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative interview case study was conducted with neural engineering researchers.
• Thematic analysis was used to identify common themes across interviews.

Main Results:

• Researchers recognize multiple beneficiaries of their work, including end-users and their support networks.
• Personal experience with end-users is highly valued, yet researchers express skepticism towards limited user feedback methods.
• A tension exists between developing advanced technology and meeting specific user needs, with uncertainty regarding functional sufficiency.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary recommendations are offered for future UCD studies in BCI and neural engineering.
• Emphasizing meaningful user engagement and addressing the sophistication-usability trade-off are crucial for effective BCI development.