title: Matching brain-machine interface performance to space applications.
abstract: A brain-machine interface (BMI) is a particular class of human-machine interface (HMI). BMIs have so far been studied mostly as a communication means for people who have little or no voluntary control of muscle activity. For able-bodied users, such as astronauts, a BMI would only be practical if conceived as an augmenting interface. A method is presented for pointing out effective combinations of HMIs and applications of robotics and automation to space. Latency and throughput are selected as performance measures for a hybrid bionic system (HBS), that is, the combination of a user, a device, and a HMI. We classify and briefly describe HMIs and space applications and then compare the performance of classes of interfaces with the requirements of classes of applications, both in terms of latency and throughput. Regions of overlap correspond to effective combinations. Devices requiring simpler control, such as a rover, a robotic camera, or environmental controls are suitable to be driven by means of BMI technology. Free flyers and other devices with six degrees of freedom can be controlled, but only at low-interactivity levels. More demanding applications require conventional interfaces, although they could be controlled by BMIs once the same levels of performance as currently recorded in animal experiments are attained. Robotic arms and manipulators could be the next frontier for noninvasive BMIs. Integrating smart controllers in HBSs could improve interactivity and boost the use of BMI technology in space applications.
authors.affiliation: School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, CO4 3SQ Colchester, UK.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Citi
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tonet
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marinelli
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013026:Space Flight; D014584:User-Computer Interface