Functional priorities, assistive technology, and brain-computer interfaces after spinal cord injury

Abstract

Spinal cord injury often impacts a person’s ability to perform critical activities of daily living and can have a negative impact on their quality of life. Assistive technology aims to bridge this gap to augment function and increase independence. It is critical to involve consumers in the design and evaluation process as new technologies, like brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), are developed. In a survey study of fifty-seven veterans with spinal cord injury who were participating in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, we found that restoration of bladder/bowel control, walking, and arm/hand function (tetraplegia only) were all high priorities for improving quality of life. Many of the participants had not used or heard of some currently available technologies designed to improve function or the ability to interact with their environment. The majority of individuals in this study were interested in using a BCI, particularly for controlling functional electrical stimulation to restore lost function. Independent operation was considered to be the most important design criteria. Interestingly, many participants reported that they would be willing to consider surgery to implant a BCI even though non-invasiveness was a high priority design requirement. This survey demonstrates the interest of individuals with spinal cord injury in receiving and contributing to the design of BCI.

The brain-computer interface researcher’s questionnaire: from research to application

“…Although in the current study there was some agreement for the enhance, supplement and restore scenarios, with the statement The currently available hardware is cosmetically unappealing, this was not the case for replace, improve and research tool. For the statement The end-user image is stigmatized by the majority of paralyzed patients have a positive attitude towards implanted BCIs [15][16][17], especially if such a system were wireless [18].…”

“…Studies involving both healthy and disabled users, however, have found that 50-80% of the interviewed potential users were aware of BCIs before they completed the respective surveys [10,16,17]. Although it is conceivable that participants (i.e.…”

On Similarities and Differences of Invasive and Non-Invasive Electrical Brain Signals in Brain-Computer Interfacing

“…Despite the fact that the results of the case study show a high level of control, there is a critical issue with invasive BCIs: in a recent study, published by Blabe et al (2015), 40% of the respondents would not consider a neurosurgery at all, even if very good results could be expected [11]. In another study, conducted by Collinger et al (2013), non-invasiveness was also rated as a high priority [12].…”

Neuroprosthetic technology for individuals with spinal cord injury

“…In a survey related to brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), users indicated that they would prefer to control FES devices for arm and hand function or walking and standing rather than assistive devices like wheelchairs or robotic arm. 3 Essentially, people with SCI would prefer to restore function to their own limbs rather than augment function with external hardware.…”

“…A few studies have examined priorities for functional restoration as defined by individuals with SCI and found that restoration of arm and hand function is the top priority for individuals with tetraplegia. [1][2][3] Restoration of bladder and bowel function, as well as sexual function, is very important to people with a SCI at any level. Similarly, many people with SCI feel that restoration of walking and/or standing ability would have a positive impact on their quality of life.…”