title: The Mind-Writing Pupil: A Human-Computer Interface Based on Decoding of Covert Attention through Pupillometry.
abstract: We present a new human-computer interface that is based on decoding of attention through pupillometry. Our method builds on the recent finding that covert visual attention affects the pupillary light response: Your pupil constricts when you covertly (without looking at it) attend to a bright, compared to a dark, stimulus. In our method, participants covertly attend to one of several letters with oscillating brightness. Pupil size reflects the brightness of the selected letter, which allows us-with high accuracy and in real time-to determine which letter the participant intends to select. The performance of our method is comparable to the best covert-attention brain-computer interfaces to date, and has several advantages: no movement other than pupil-size change is required; no physical contact is required (i.e. no electrodes); it is easy to use; and it is reliable. Potential applications include: communication with totally locked-in patients, training of sustained attention, and ultra-secure password input.
authors: Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, LPC UMR 7290, Marseille, France.
authors: Sebastiaan
authors: S
authors: Mathôt
authors: Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, LPC UMR 7290, Marseille, France.
authors: Jean-Baptiste
authors: JB
authors: Melmi
authors: Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, LPC UMR 7290, Marseille, France.
authors: Lotje
authors: L
authors: van der Linden
authors: Dept. of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Van der Stigchel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011680:Pupil; D012025:Reflex, Pupillary; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014796:Visual Perception