Th om s o n

BRAIN: Developing brain computer interfaces with rapid automated interfaces for non experts. Gerontechnology 2010;9(2):255; doi:10.4017/gt.2010.09.02.263.00 Purpose As people age it is conceivable that illness or traumatic injury could create a scenario of dependence on others which could be further compounded by a loss of verbal communication skills; consider for ex-ample the final stages of motor neurone disease or multiple sclerosis. Traumatic injury or dis-ease processes such as stroke can, in severe cases, lead to ‘locked-in syndrome’1 which is the combined effect of quadriplegia, anarthria and preservation of consciousness. As services strive to support independent living and ageing in place, it can be challenging to verify that the uniqueness of the individual, their desires and wants, have been grasped and understood by both informal and formal carers. The adoption of a Brain-computer interface (BCI) aimed to assist with and augment human cognitive and sensory processes by developing automated interfaces, which communicate directly with the brain, could assist with these challenges. The ultimate goal of BCI is to provide communication and control capacities to people with severe disabilities2,3. Method This paper presents the work undertaken as part of the BRAIN pro-ject4. This European consortium is funded within the 7th Framework research programme