Brain Computer Interface as Emerging Technology

Hasan MD Tanzirul, Student ID S13003255 Student Member, IEEE

Abstract- I am going to conduct the future of the
brain computer interface in this journal which I
am going to analysis in detailed report. It will be
illustrated by me that how the BCI is working at
the present moment and what is going to happen
in future. The current research is still limited to
few things. So people is still not relying in this
technology. The research has been going on
since 1970s. But in recent years there have been
some recent success. This is what I am going to
explain in this report.
Index Terms- critical review, analysis of the
technology, design of the technology,
backgrounds, legal impact, ethical impact, social
impact, environmental impact, future of the
technology, current research.

1.

Introduction

This is a detailed report of the brain computer

interface. The goal of this report is to gain a better
understanding of brain computer interface to the
general people. Our brain has a very complicated
function on it. It is consist of billions of neurons.
Those neurons helps us to move object which is our
hands. In early 80s the doctors were not able to
provide proper help to the people who were
paralysed, blinded, lost eye sight and so on. But the
then research started to take place. After that
people invented the BCI technology after years of
research. There were some pilot projects on human
being. The results are impressive. But still there is a
lot of scope of improvement. This is why the big
organization is investing a lot of money to develop
the technology. Researchers believe that in future
people are going to be able get the benefit of this
technology. I practically think it is possible for
people to get benefitted from the help of brain
computer interface. [1]

2.

BCI

Brain computer interface is a collaboration between

brain and a device that enables signals to commit
an external activity. Those activity can be
described as control of a cursor or prosthetic limb.
The interface makes a direct connection between
the brain and the interface. As a result if the users
thinking comes to a reality by doing such activity.
The use of BCI technology started mainly on

animals. After several years of research on animals,

then they were able to assess the human body. [2]
For human body there are three types of BCI. They
are

Invasive BCI:
The invasive BCI is mainly works on the vision
and movement of the human body. This type of
BCI is mainly designed for the paralysed people.
The invasive BCI is planted on the grey matter of
the brain. Because of invasive BCI lies on grey
matter of human brain, they produces the highest
number signals for brain. But at the same time it
also produces scar tissue on brain which makes it
prone for human brain. [3]

Partial Invasive BCI:

The partial invasive BCI is implanted inside the
skull. But it resides outside the grey matter of the
brain. So there is a very less chance of scar tissue
damage on the brain. But it performs better signal
functionality than the non-invasive BCI. [4]

Non-Invasive BCI:
This type of BCI has the ability to give signal to the
muscle to power up. They are easy to wear. But
they have poor signal functionality. Because you
have wear the device outside the skull. [5]

3.

How BCI works

Our brain contains a lot of neurons. These neurons

communicate through the help of axons. The axons
works like an electric force which works move the
action of a neurons inside the brain. The BCI also
does the similar way of conducting its operation.
BCI uses various kinds devices to pass on the
message on brain. The most common type of
device is used in BCI is known as
Electroencephalograph. This device uses the
electrode in order to perform the signal to give
order to the interface. We can compare the
electrode with neurons of the brains. Because it
carries the action from the brain to the interface.

Because of the more signal success of the

electroencephalograph to pass it from the brain to
interface, that is why it is used the most for brain
computer interface. [6]

4.

Current Research

The research is still going on improving the BCI

technology in order to get better outcome form this
blessing. Because a lot of people is going to be able
get benefit from this brain computer interface.
Although the medical brain computer is still
maturing day by day, but the non-medical side is
doing as well. This kind of progress is achieved by
doing conference, workshop and publications.
There is some scope of improvement needed by the
medical BCI. Because it has not been possible for
them to monitor user state monitoring by using
BCI. So the research is going on how they can
achieve this outcome. The intent of this paper is not
put together pieces of information to summarise the
situation, but to give the researchers and
stakeholders an overview of the situation that
where we standing at the moment and what we
have to do in order to extend the non- medical BCI
application. These results has come through the
help of the workshops and conferences. Besides we
only have BCI hardware and software which looks
like a novel application. This also requires a lot of
improvement in order move forward in future.
At the moment the BCI device only interacts with
our brain. Several hardware technology we use to
measure the brain activity. We use various kinds of
hardware to perform the BCI actions. But most of
the BCI devices are very expensive. The only
hardware device which is cheap is the EEG.
Although it has concerns over signalling. But
research is still going on to provide a cheap and
effective BCI device.
On the software side we can mention that there are
several software is available in market in which can
measure the brain signals. Those software are open
source or the user. In particular we can mention
BCI2000, OpenVibe, FieldTrip, Biosig and
BCILAB. They provide variety of signal
processing, classification, visualization in order to
design, use and assess BCI system. [7]

5.

Future of BCI

The brain computer interface will change in near

future without any. They will bring some new
possibilities and also with some new threats. In
2025 whether it is a Google, Samsung, apple

product, all of the company will provide their

products with built in brain computer interface. The
present interface system we are using is going to
become antique after those years. No one will buy
those equipment anymore. It is also needless to say
in the year 2025 we will create a word document
by typing, but we are going to create it by thinking
with easy formatting method. Whatever we are
going to imagine, it is going to become the
background and the layout of the document. The
same thing will go for the PowerPoint and excel
sheet as well. There is a debate that whether it is
going to be possible for people to understand the
thinking of another. For example in our present
time we can never discover the motive or hidden
objective of any proposal offered by our family or
friend. But if such a technology is created, then it
will bring a revolution among the people. People
will become more intelligent than ever. Then job
employers will be able to find right candidate for
the job. The celebrities will face a bit problem in
order to hide themselves from the people. Even the
planning of the website will change dramatically.
Because all the online activity will be done through
our thinking. People will even how to speak a
person when he is on the right mood. This is how
people are going to avoid unnecessary fights. Then
we will see another development which will
happen through direct communication and human
brain. The computer will understand what we think
and what we need at a certain period of time. By
doing or achieving these we will be able catch lies
of humans. As a result the traditional lie detector
machine will come to no use for us anymore. And
lastly and most importantly we are going to have
proper way of getting education from our teacher.
Because they will be able to understand the flow of
our brains and where we lacking in knowledge. [8]
Mind control is also going to be possible by the
human beings if it is being conducted rightly. We
have already seen some demonstration of mind
control in our recent years. The scientist have
invented a robot named TELESAR V robot to
perform the mind control in a primary stage.
During the performance it helped the user by
controlling its mind for a while. This is a very
fascinating story. We all know this kind technology
has been shown in movies. One of the famous
movie is known as AVATAR where we see the
mind control. The mind control thing set a new
door for us. Such as conducting complex
operations where mind control is essential. Then
we can use the robot to remove the toxic material.
If the mind control is available for everyone then
the blind people is going to be able draw paintings.
All they will need to do is imagining a nice picture
and the device will demonstrate the rest. [9]

6.

Legal Issue of BCI

As we move on with the help of modern

technology, there is some problem as well. We are
inventing new technique and tools for the BCI
technology. While doing so we are also forgetting
the negative impact of this technology. We always
invent technology for the good use. But people
always tries to misuse the technology. Since the
BCI is open everyone, hence we have found some
legal issues as well. Those issue is going to become
the drawback of this technology. The data
protection act is not clear on brain computer
interface. Because it has not reached to its
maximum level of invention. Besides there are also
some other legal issue as well. In the beginning of
development of this technology people used
animals for their own purpose. They didnt have to
worry about it. But there are organizations who
works for animals to give them their own right. If
they find this problem, they can easily take legal
action against the authority. Even some of the
countries are now a days performing new methods
of BCI technology illegally in sensitive areas.
These can lead to a serious action for the
organization.

launch the device or not. If the product is not up to

the standard and they decided to launch the device,
then they would have violated the code ethics. The
research will always go one for brain computer
interface. But they have to bear in mind that
whatever the product they are going to invent they
have to follow the code of ethics. Otherwise we
will see ethical dilemmas again and again. [10]

8.

The social issue is major in brain computer

interface. We have seen conceptual issue over the
brain computer interface. The scientist doesnt
agree whether which technology is brain computer
interface. While using the brain computer interface
we have seen we have no sole control over our
technology. Because it can read our minds. It can
also make us something illegal which we are not
intending to do. The technology is not available for
all the section of people. Because we have seen
most products in brain computer interface is very
expensive. That is why they have make sure to
provide cheap and reliable products for the poor
people. Because we do not believe that the
technology is not only should be available to rich
people. It should be available to all people.
Otherwise it is not going to be fair socially. [11]

9.
7.

Ethical Issue of BCI

The inventers of any new technology has always

been suffering from ethical dilemma when they
have invented any new product. There is always
risks and benefits for any new technology which
we invent in our day to day life. The engineers
should always make sure they follow the code of
ethics before inventing any new technology. In
brain computer we see a lot of ethical issues going
on. Because there is a lot of product in different
division of the brain computer interface. The recent
ethical issue we have seen in hand prosthetics. The
hand prosthetics was invented by Fidelity
Orthopaedic INC. The technology was quickly
getting into the market because of its demand
cheaper version of prosthetic hand. The people
were excited about the cheaper version of the
product. But the product were not completely
researched and examined before launching in the
market. So it was a questionable for the people to
whether to buy it or not. On the contrary people
decided to go for the cheaper product over the
expensive product. Now the engineers of the
fidelity orthopaedic were under doubt whether to

Social Issue of BCI

Environmental Issue of BCI

Environment is very important for us. We have to

protect our environment by any costs. If we were
unable to protect our environment we will lose our
lovely earth as well. The BCI technology has the
issue of environment as well. The new BCI product
should be implemented according to the
environment. Because now a days we see all the
organizations are now committed to reduce the
CO2 emission. Because we have to reduce the
carbon emission. If we do not reduce the carbon
emission we will lose our earth. That is why from
now on any new product from BCI have to follow
the environmental guideline before producing it.
Because if they do not follow the rules and
regulations of the environment policy we will lose
our planet ecology. Besides the researchers has to
leave all the animal alone from their own research.
Because the animal they use for their research
purpose suffers a quite a lot of pain. [12]

10. Critical Analysis

The BCI is very important for everyday life. We
need to find the best out of technology which we
have. If we do not get the proper outcome from this
technology, then we will lose everything. Although
it has a quite big promising future available for us.
But still we have to be careful about the
technology. Because the source is open. This is
why it is important for us to make sure people do
not get access to very sensitive information we
have. Then we have to make sure the technology is
available to the people who needs it the most.

11. Conclusion:
A brain computer interface is a communication and
control that does not depend on the brains normal
output pathways peripheral nerves and muscles. As
day passes by we are going to see the improvement
of the system. For the better of the society and
people we should cherish this technology to our
advantage as long as we could. Once we have the
good sides of the technology then we are going to
use for our use. But we have to make sure that the
technology is not drawn back by the ethical, legal,
environmental issues. Then we are going to be able
use the technology for our advantage. [13]

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