title: Gaze-independent BCI-spelling using rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A Brain Computer Interface (BCI) speller is a communication device, which can be used by patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases to select symbols in a computer application. For patients unable to overtly fixate the target symbol, it is crucial to develop a speller independent of gaze shifts. In the present online study, we investigated rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) as a paradigm for mental typewriting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the RSVP speller in three conditions, regarding the Stimulus Onset Asynchrony (SOA) and the use of color features. A vocabulary of 30 symbols was presented one-by-one in a pseudo random sequence at the same location of display.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All twelve participants were able to successfully operate the RSVP speller. The results show a mean online spelling rate of 1.43 symb/min and a mean symbol selection accuracy of 94.8% in the best condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the RSVP is a promising paradigm for BCI spelling and its performance is competitive with the fastest gaze-independent spellers in literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RSVP speller does not require gaze shifts towards different target locations and can be operated by non-spatial visual attention, therefore it can be considered as a valid paradigm in applications with patients for impaired oculo-motor control.
authors: Machine Learning Laboratory, Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germany. laura.acqualagna@tu-berlin.de
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Acqualagna
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Blankertz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D062207:Brain-Computer Interfaces; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult