SOMA: Bridging The Gap Between mind and Computer Scott Mather ...................................................................pages

SOMA: Bridging the Gap Between Mind and Computer

Just prior to the recent summer holidays, Scott Mather fell in love. Or fell down a rabbit hole. However you want to put it, Scott was soon struggling to contain his enthusiasm for the developing field of braincomputer interfaces (BCI).

Determined to map his own neural networks to computer commands, Scott wasn’t about to let the high cost of commercial BCIs get in his way.

In late 2021 I became obsessed with the systems that allow for controlling computerised commands with different states of mind - brain computer interfaces (BCI).

After discovering the field of BCI’s in late 2021 I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this technology to try it out. I really wanted to try mapping my own neural activity to computer commands through electroencephalography (EEG), the process of recording electrical activity of brain waves via electrodes placed on the scalp. I soon discovered the prices of commercial EEG BCIs were prohibitive. Sometimes reaching into the thousands, and the software to use these products was almost as expensive. This wasn’t about to stop me… At my local electronics store I was able to purchase what I needed to build an EEG BCI for around $200. Due to the lack of information online about how to build a homemade EEG BCI, I first had to learn how to build sub processes of the EEG, such as how to access brainwaves, how to amplify and transmit the electrodes’ signal to a computer.

Once the EEG was built, I took to my whiteboard and designed a code that allowed for my EEG to become an EEG BCI. The BCI code functions by mapping the brainwaves associated with concentration and relaxation to computer commands, therefore bridging the gap between brain and computer. I sent these commands to a simple video game that allowed for up and down controls of a helicopter. Although I’m thrilled with these results now, they did not come easily. At the beginning of the process, I had little knowledge about soldering, coding, and circuitry and had to learn as I went along. I think I spent at least 50 hours staring at a screen, trying to move a helicopter that either wouldn’t budge or would unintentionally fly off. Each time meant slightly tweaking the calibration, then trying again and this was just one aspect of the testing stage! Even so, I wouldn’t have wanted to do anything else because I knew where it was all headed…By the end of the summer holidays I’d built a Bluetooth, battery powered, homemade EEG BCI and was able to direct the video game

SOMA: Bridging the Gap Between Mind and Computer (Continued)

helicopter up and down just by concentrating or relaxing my mind.

My aim now is to raise awareness about the field of homemade BCIs. I hope that my system, named “SOMA”, inspires others to explore this field and understand that this is not technology of tomorrow, but technology of today!

I want to say “hey, this is what I did, you can do it too.”

SOMA is intended to act as a reference point for further development and innovation in the homemade BCI field, it isn’t a commercialized product. I’m sharing the resources I’ve developed so they’re available for anyone wanting to access and control computers with their brainwaves. By making my resources freely available, the only cost to home EEG BCI developers will be in sourcing their materials for their chosen EEG hardware components. I do stress though that people need to do their own research outside of SOMA before beginning projects because, unlike commercially available products, it hasn’t been through a safety testing process. I’m now working on several projects with the purpose of providing interested people a bridge between their brain and computers. In one of my projects I’m building software that people can download free of charge and use to connect their own homemade EEG BCI to their custom code or the software built into video games. The video games that accompany the software will be controllable with the user’s homemade EEG BCI.

Initially I just used the commands of concentration and relaxation as that only requires three electrodes. Now I’d like to see a homemade EEG BCI with fivefold this number. This would significantly increase the amount of ‘neural real-estate’ available for mapping to additional and more precise brainwave patterns/thoughts. I’ll be really excited to see other homemade EEG BCIs outperform mine and add value to the field. I envision a future for BCIs that is person-centered, where they could become familiar with each person’s unique neural activity, and could help give early warnings of any changes. As BCIs become a common part of daily living in the future they will increase in their ease of use and implementation. BCIs will also be able to connect people to their appliances and computers, increasing accessibility, productivity and entertainment. I believe that personalisation and individualisation will stem from progress in the homemade BCI field and its naturally accompanying person-centred systems. I want people to know that the future of BCI is bright and that the possibilities are truly endless!

To make your own Brain Computer Interface, you need to do your research. Understand the risks, and how to work safely.

Reach out to Scott via

SMATHER1@our.ecu.edu.au

to discuss SOMA