Evolution of users' subjective experience over three training sessions with an EEG Motor-Imagery Brain-Computer...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• Motor Imagery-based Brain-Computer Interfaces (MI-BCIs) offer potential for various applications, from entertainment to neurological rehabilitation.
• Effective MI-BCI use necessitates extensive training for both users and systems.
• Understanding the evolution of User eXperience (UX) during MI-BCI training is crucial but remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how user experience (UX) factors change during standard Motor Imagery-based Brain-Computer Interface (MI-BCI) training.
• To analyze UX variations within and between training sessions over multiple days.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory study involving 24 healthy novice users training with a left vs. right-hand MI-BCI.
• Users completed 3 training sessions on different days, each with 12 runs.
• A UX questionnaire assessing mental demand, performance, effort, frustration, fatigue, and anxiety was administered after each run.

Main Results:

• MI-BCI performance did not correlate with subjective UX measures.
• Within sessions, mental demand, effort, and fatigue significantly increased.
• The first training session was rated as significantly more challenging across multiple UX factors compared to subsequent sessions.

Conclusions:

• User experience in MI-BCI training is dynamic and influenced by time, both within and across sessions.
• Initial training sessions present higher perceived challenges (frustration, anxiety, demand, effort, fatigue).
• Considering users' evolving mental states is vital for enhancing UX and optimizing MI-BCI therapeutic outcomes.