title: Reaching and Grasping a Glass of Water by Locked-In ALS Patients through a BCI-Controlled Humanoid Robot.
abstract: Locked-in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients are fully dependent on caregivers for any daily need. At this stage, basic communication and environmental control may not be possible even with commonly used augmentative and alternative communication devices. Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology allows users to modulate brain activity for communication and control of machines and devices, without requiring a motor control. In the last several years, numerous articles have described how persons with ALS could effectively use BCIs for different goals, usually spelling. In the present study, locked-in ALS patients used a BCI system to directly control the humanoid robot NAO (Aldebaran Robotics, France) with the aim of reaching and grasping a glass of water. Four ALS patients and four healthy controls were recruited and trained to operate this humanoid robot through a P300-based BCI. A few minutes training was sufficient to efficiently operate the system in different environments. Three out of the four ALS patients and all controls successfully performed the task with a high level of accuracy. These results suggest that BCI-operated robots can be used by locked-in ALS patients as an artificial alter-ego, the machine being able to move, speak and act in his/her place.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, ALS Clinical Research Center, University of Palermo Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spataro
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical, Management, Computer, Mechanical Engineering, University of PalermoPalermo, Italy; Instituto di Calcolo e Reti ad Alte Prestazioni (ICAR-CNR)Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chella
authors.affiliation: Guger Technologies OGGraz, Austria; Cognitive Science Department, University of California at San DiegoLa Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Brendan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Allison
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical, Management, Computer, Mechanical Engineering, University of Palermo Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical, Management, Computer, Mechanical Engineering, University of Palermo Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sorbello
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical, Management, Computer, Mechanical Engineering, University of Palermo Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tramonte
authors.affiliation: Guger Technologies OGGraz, Austria; g.tec Medical Engineering GmbHSchiedlberg, Austria.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guger
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, ALS Clinical Research Center, University of Palermo Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: La Bella
keywords: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; brain computer interface; environmental control; humanoid robot; locked-in syndrome