Electroencephalography as implicit communication channel for proximal interaction between humans and robot swarms

Abstract

Search and rescue, autonomous construction, and many other semi-autonomous multi-robot applications can benefit from proximal interactions between an operator and a swarm of robots. Most research on proximal interaction is based on explicit communication techniques such as gesture and speech. This study proposes a new implicit proximal communication technique to approach the problem of robot selection. We use electroencephalography (EEG) signals to select the robot at which the operator is looking. This is achieved using steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP), a repeatable neural response to a regularly blinking visual stimulus that varies predictively based on the blinking frequency. In our experiments, each robot was equipped with LEDs blinking at a different frequency, and the operator's SSVEP neural response was extracted from the EEG signal to detect and select the robot without requiring any conscious action by the user. This study systematically investigates several parameters affecting the SSVEP neural response: blinking frequency of the LED, distance between the robot and the operator, and color of the LED. Based on these parameters, we study two signal processing approaches and critically analyze their performance on 10 subjects controlling a set of physical robots. Our results show that despite numerous artifacts, it is possible to achieve a recognition rate higher than 85% on some subjects, while the average over the ten subjects was 75%.

Swarm Robotics: Past, Present, and Future [Point of View]

“…Similar mechanisms represent interesting means for the control of robot swarms although they may introduce security challenges that must be dealt with to avoid a few malicious robots taking control of the entire swarm. Alternatively, robot swarms could be controlled or steered directly by the user, and different ways have been proposed, such as through gestures [108], [109] or EEG signals [110].…”

“…In this context, research can experiment with radically new modalities for HSI that can be afterward borrowed by other application domains. For instance, all sorts of HSI interfaces can be imagined, from wearable devices [135], augmented and virtual reality [136], and brain-computer interaction modalities [110].…”

Swarm Robotic Interactions in an Open and Cluttered Environment: A Survey

“…In their work, Mondada et al [38] decided to process Control operator's electroencephalography (EEG) signal so that it can select a swarm's robot to control it. It is based on the stationary state of the potential evoked by vision (Steady-State visually evoked Potential: SSVEP).…”

Human-Rover Interactions and Swarm Algorithms of Mobile Robots in an Open and Crowded Environment: A Survey

“…In their work, Mondada and al. [36] decided to process Control operator's EEG signal so that it can select a swarm's robot to control it. It is based on the stationary state of the potential evoked by vision (Steady-State visually evoked Potential: SSVEP).…”