INNOVATIONS FROM THE EDGE - KPIT

I. Introduction
Inventions in machine interfaces have always
increased comfort level of people. We have seen
the development of push buttons, keypads,
wireless controls, and the most talked touch
screens. Some inventions are also seen in the area
of non-touch screen interfaces where the user
moves a detectable object in front of the screen to
interact with the machine. In most of these
interfaces, the user physically handles the
interface device to make use of it. However, think
of people with disabilities. Is it possible for them
to control machines around them Let us consider
an example of the high-tech wheel chair
developed for physically challenged people. In
spite of the intelligence we put in the wheel chair,
the person has to touch the control panel to move
the wheel chair and control its other parts.
Developing just the high-tech devices for
physically challenged people is not enough.
Imagine if they could have been able to control the
devices using their brain directly or imagine
yourself controlling your mobile phones,
television sets, fans, tube lights, any electronic
device around you; just by your thoughts. Imagine
talking to the person beside you without uttering a
single word. It sounds interesting but is this
possible The answer is yes! Research is being
carried out to even control car using thoughts.
This article provides an overview of this
technology known as Brain Machine Interface and
highlights some of its applications and recent
developments.
II. What is Brain Machine Interface
With the advancements in the computing
techniques and the study of human brain,
scientists have claimed a possibility of interfacing
human brain directly to machines or external
devices. The direct communication between the
human brain and machines is termed as Brain
Machine Interface (BMI) or Brain Computer
Interface (where brain controls the computer
directly). The figure 1 shows a conceptual
overview of a Brain Machine Interface system for
Figure 1: Patient with Brain Machine Interface system
Brain
Brain takes part in each activity that we perform. It
works like a processor that has input signals and
generates output commands resulting in one of the
activities we perform. Basic five senses, touch,
smell, vision, taste and hearing, are inputs to the
brain. Additionally, some other senses like
temperature, pain, balance and acceleration, also
act as inputs to the brain. The output can be any in
terms of muscle movement, thoughts, speech etc.
The transmission of information to and from the
brain is carried out by the brain cells called neurons.
There are billions of neurons present inside the
brain. The neurons are electrically charged and
transfer of the electric charge from one neuron to
another enables the information transmission to
and from the brain. There are three types of
neurons present in the brain namely Sensory
Neurons, Motor Neurons, and Inter-neurons.
Types of Neurons
l Sensory Neurons are neurons that carry
information from the body parts to the brain. These
neurons provide input to the brain, thus the
information provided by our senses is carried to the
brain by the sensory neurons.
l Motor Neurons are neurons that carry
information from the brain to the different body
12 TechTalk@KPITCummins, Volume 5, Issue 1, 2012