Induction of Neural Plasticity Using a Low-Cost Open Source Brain-Computer Interface and a 3D-Printed Wrist Exoskeleton

Abstract

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been proven to be useful for stroke rehabilitation, but there are a number of factors that impede the use of this technology in rehabilitation clinics and in home-use, the major factors including the usability and costs of the BCI system. The aims of this study were to develop a cheap 3D-printed wrist exoskeleton that can be controlled by a cheap open source BCI (OpenViBE), and to determine if training with such a setup could induce neural plasticity. Eleven healthy volunteers imagined wrist extensions, which were detected from single-trial electroencephalography (EEG), and in response to this, the wrist exoskeleton replicated the intended movement. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited using transcranial magnetic stimulation were measured before, immediately after, and 30 min after BCI training with the exoskeleton. The BCI system had a true positive rate of 86 ± 12% with 1.20 ± 0.57 false detections per minute. Compared to the measurement before the BCI training, the MEPs increased by 35 ± 60% immediately after and 67 ± 60% 30 min after the BCI training. There was no association between the BCI performance and the induction of plasticity. In conclusion, it is possible to detect imaginary movements using an open-source BCI setup and control a cheap 3D-printed exoskeleton that when combined with the BCI can induce neural plasticity. These findings may promote the availability of BCI technology for rehabilitation clinics and home-use. However, the usability must be improved, and further tests are needed with stroke patients.

Clinical and pathophysiological foundations and advanced developments in the rehabilitation of patients after ischemic stroke

“…Он представляет собой комплекс устройств, которые регистрируют и распознают биоэлектрическую активность мозга, возникающую в ответ на намерение осуществить какое-либо действие, а затем трансформируют ее в сигналы биологической обратной связи или команды управления внешними устройствами -в частности, экзоскелетом. При всей кажущейся сложности уже есть исследования, показавшие, что с помощью недорогих электроэнцефалографов можно регистрировать электрическую активность моторной коры, а экзоскелет -напечатать на 3D-принтере, что не сопряжено со значительными материальными затратами [24].…”

Cross-Platform Implementation of an SSVEP-Based BCI for the Control of a 6-DOF Robotic Arm

“…Different paradigms have been used in BCI applications based on EEG for robot control, such as Motor Imagery (MI) [19,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33], P300 evoked potentials [14,34,35], or Steady-State Visually Evoked Potentials (SSVEP) [36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48].…”

“…Openvibe has been used for multiple applications and with different types of paradigms such as motor imagination to control a robotic arm or a robotic hand [30,31], motor imagination in neural plasticity with a wrist exoskeleton [32], with the P300 paradigm for the control of an electric chair [23], P300 for the control of a manipulator robot [35], surface electromyographic signals for the control of a functional electrical stimulator (FES) [82], neurorehabilitation [28,33,83], music [84], mobile robots [85] or processing with motor imagination or P300 [86][87][88][89] with different amplifiers [90].…”

A BCI-Based Vibrotactile Neurofeedback Training Improves Motor Cortical Excitability During Motor Imagery

“…Despite the numerous studies focused on the investigation of the neurophysiological effects induced by the MI-based BCI, little is known about how adding the feedback to BCI training influences cortical excitability. However, it was shown that increased motor cortex excitability during MI BCI-based NF training can promote the plasticity in motor cortical areas, which opens up a wide range of neurorehabilitation therapy technologies [53,54]. In our previous research, we proposed the BCI paradigm employing only a vibrotactile channelwithout the use of visual control elements (with the eyes closed) [19].…”