The Cedar Foundation

Index Introduction An overview of the BackHome project. The Cedar Foundations contribution to the project. The participants profile for recruitment.

Aim of BackHome BackHome is aimed at moving Brain-Neural Computer Interfaces (BNCIs) from laboratory devices for healthy users toward practical devices used at home by people in need.

What is a BNCI? ‘…is a hardware and software communications system that permits cerebral activity alone to control computers and external devices’ (Nicolas-Alonso and Gomez-Gill, 2012). Electroencephalogram (EEG) is the recording of brain activity signals along the user’s scalp.

The BackHome Project Aims to Develop: Flexible and useable BNCI for home usage with minimal support. Practical electrodes. Telemonitoring and home support tools. Easy to use applications to facilitate activities of daily living, communication, rehabilitation, as well as physical and social autonomy.

The System at a Glance

Potential Outcomes from BNCI Development in BackHome Move the BNCI systems a step towards availability in mainstream markets Greater independence Reduced isolation Access to technology Increased opportunities for education and employment

Project Partners BDIGITAL: Barcelona Digital Centre Tecnologic TUG: Graz University of Technology UNIWUE: University of Wurzburg CF: Cedar Foundation G.Tec: Guger Technologies OG THSL: Telehealth Solutions Ltd

The Role of the Cedar Foundation To offer the perspective of service users in the development, testing and evaluation of the BNCI. To ensure there is end user involvement in all stages of the project. To identify end user’s needs and requirements in terms of rehabilitation, technology and social inclusion.

Life Cycle of the Project January 2012- June 2015 Presently developing the first prototype for testing to begin June 2013. Up to three testing, evaluation and feedback stages. Vital to have service user involvement throughout the project.

Two separate recruitment processes: To participate in one of two workshops to help inform user requirements. NB: there is no obligation or implied recruitment to the prototype trails by participating in a workshop. To meet the inclusion criteria and participate in the testing of the prototypes in up to three different occasions.

Inclusion Criteria Male or female. 18 years or over. Confirmed disability that suggests the individual would benefit from using BNCI. Visual and auditory capacity. Competence to make the decision to participate and be able to understand the context of the study. Ability, motivation and willingness to participate. Realistic expectations. Individuals with a motor impairment as a result of a neurological condition such as TBI, spinal cord injury, stroke, MS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis CP neuromuscular syndromes and other brain injuries (infection, tumours etc)

Conditions that prevent participation: The inability to take (EEG) measurements (due to wounds, allergies, sensitive skin). Muscle spasticity. Medication that affects the central nervous system and potentially the EEG signal. History of epilepsy. Psychiatric disorders. The presence of comorbid disorders. In the event consent is withheld. Fairly strict exclusion criteria so it is important that the limitations and risk of non participation is made very clear

Participants in the prototype trial: Need to meet the criteria for participation. Give full consent to be involved in the project. Consent to the collection of background data such as their medical history as well as psychological and physiological tests. Participate in training and testing of prototype over a significant period of time (approx. 4 to 8 weeks per testing period) Evaluate the usefulness of the prototype and provide feedback Psychological questions (Beck’s depression inventory; motivation questionnaire) resting EEG and classification of disability/ neurological condition

Conclusion The BackHome project aims to develop BNCI systems into practical multimodal assistive technologies that will provide useful solutions for communication, internet, and environmental control, and to provide this technology for home usage with minimal support. It is important that the Cedar Foundation reflects the perspectives of the end users through service user participation in it’s contribution to the BackHome project.

Contact Details Jean Daly Balmoral Training & Resource Centre 1 Upper Lisburn Road Belfast BT10 0GW Telephone: (028) 9061 2424 Email: j.daly@cedar-foundation.org

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