Welcome to our BCI lab
We are a team of researchers at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Kleve, Germany, led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ivan Volosyak. Our main research focus is Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) with the aim to develop effective and efficient BCI systems for everyday use, for healthy people as well as BCI assistance devices for people with disabilities.
What is BCI?
A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is a system that allows people to communicate through brain signals without the need for any muscular movement. It provides an artificial output that is different from the usual natural output of the nervous system. Currently in research, BCI is used to help people with a wheelchair to stand up, give people who could not communicate a means to express themselves, repair damaged sight and help training children with ADHD. BCI also has other applications in the robotics field, video gaming and virtual reality. Our BCI systems measure brain signals non-invasively with the aid of an electroencephalogram (EEG) and derive computer commands from them to help people with movement and/or communication disabilities.
What is EEG?
EEG is a non-invasive technique which uses surface electrodes placed on the scalp, with the means of an EEG cap, to measure and record signals from the brain. It reveals the summation of the signals from thousands of neurons that are beneath the scalp. While spatial resolution is poor due to signal damping across tissue layers, it features exceptional temporal resolution. Because attained signals are in the microvolt range, powerful amplifiers and filters are required to clean out baseline environmental noise.
In our Lab, we use an EEG head cap with standard Ag/AgCl EEG electrodes connected to the g.USBamp biosignal amplifier (Guger Technologies, Graz, Austria).
Ongoing Experiments
We want to further develop our systems and make them available for various industrial sectors. To improve our research systems, it is necessary to examine the EEG signals of several subjects. Participation in this scientific study is completely voluntary. Usually, we receive the below two questions from most of our participants:
Could your thoughts be read or recorded?
NO. No specific thoughts can be detected in the measured EEG activity.
Can the system transfer thoughts to my brain?
NO. In EEG measurements, only your naturally occurring brain activity is recorded. The circuit loop path always reads signals out from the scalp outward.
Want to volunteer? Follow these steps:
Step 1: Watch Our Onboarding Video
Step 2: Contact the Lab
Send us a short email stating your name, age, and preferred time frame availability window for an experimental session.
Send MessageStep 3: Visit the Lab
Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences
Marie-Curie-Straße 1, 47533 Kleve, Germany
Room: 09 01 004