A review of consumer brain computer interface devices

CONSUMER BCI REVIEW !1
A Review of Consumer Brain-Computer Interface Devices
Chih-cheng Yuan
National Taiwan Normal University

Abstract
This review looked at the private companies that are developing brain-computer interface
for commercialisztion, either consumer- or researcher-facing. The main discussion is on the
inexpensive, portable, wireless, dry-electrode, off-the-shelf EEG BCI devices. Information
regarding the validity, usability, and application of BCI devices are gathered to review their
receptions. The review encompasses a total of 6 companies’ products, with the primary
focus on Emotiv’s and NeuroSky’s BCIs.

A Review of Consumer Brain-Computer Interface Devices
A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a communication system between the brain and
external devices. It bridges the gap between the signals of animal brains and the commands
used by computer systems.
BCIs usually record only signals from the brain, as opposed to neuroprosthetics
which works on signals from peripheral nerves and muscles. Components of a BCI system
usually involves the acquisition of the signals, further processing the signals, and the
translation of signals into computer commands. Both invasive and non-invasive
technologies have been used for the monitoring of brain signals for BCIs, such as
electroencephalograph (EEG) and intracortical brain implants. Mathematical models and
algorithms were developed to aid the processing of the naturally noisy brain signals. Also,
several computer systems were also built to handle the commands from the brain. (Nicolas-
Alonso and Gomez-Gi, 2012)
Since its early work in the 1970s, the development of BCIs has been growing
rapidly. Like many other technologies invented for medical-related purposes, the research of
BCIs has primary been centered around the restoration of damaged sensory or motor
abilities, or the examination of brain functions. There were also less private companies in
this field. However, in recent years, the development of BCIs for non-disabled users are on
the rise. New research are being done in such applications. Private companies are beginning
to looking into it because of the new interests in its potential consumer applications in
entertainment, education, and health care. The first commercialisation attempt is by
Interactive Product Line whose Mindball is a game that utilize BCI headband. (Childers,
2013) There are many companies spawning up in light of the potential of BCI; for example,
NeuroVigil makes iBrain, a EEG monitoring device that’s made for medical purposes;
nielsen, a market research company, is also taking neuroscience approach to gather
information.
This review looks at the efforts done by the private sector in BCIs, comparing the
receptions of different companies and their applications.
The Choice of EEG
BCI requires reception of brain signals captured directly from human brain. There

are three different ways to capture these signals, i.e. (i) invasive, (ii) partially invasive, and
(iii) noninvasive. Invasive capture is characterized by introduction of implants into user’s
encephalic mass, directly into the gray matter, providing high quality signal reading;
however it causes great inconvenience and risks to human health. In partially invasive
capture, implants are placed beneath the skull without drilling the brain. Despite its lower
quality signals, this signal capture form presents lower risks to health as compared with
invasive approach. Lastly, noninvasive capture enables gathering information without any
implant since sensors are placed on the scalp, fully external to the body. Noninvasive BCIs
are more convenient and easy to use, and due to technological advancements of current
solutions, provide good quality signal capture. It is also the only one to not present risk to
users’ health. (Ferreira, Miranda, Miranda and Sakamoto, 2013)
One of the intensive focuses of BCIs is the use of EEG because of the its relatively
less costly, non-invasive, and responsive nature. EEG reading is a completely non-invasive
procedure that can be applied repeatedly to patients, normal adults, and children with
virtually no risk or limitation. (Teplan, 2002) These advantages also makes it a rather
suitable option for consumer use. However, while EEG doesn’t require surgery, it still
involves a lot of wires and sticky electrodes which makes it inconvenient and improbable
for commercialization. Companies, such as Emotiv, have made devices with fewer
electrodes and eliminated the need for wires.
General Purpose BCIs
Emotiv
Emotiv is an Australia-based bioinformatics startup which specialized in EEG
devices. Their primary products are EPOC (Appendix A) and Insight. EPOC, their headset
for scientific EEG monitoring, uses only 14 electrodes and connects to computers
wirelessly. Considering the inconvenient features of traditional EEG, the small-sized
headsets with so few electrodes from Emotiv is certainly impressive but also raises
questions regarding its validity.
Although there are certain differences between headsets which can be resulting from
communication delays and responsiveness of recording software, it is confirmed that the
Emotiv EPOC headset does pick up ‘true’ or ‘real’ EEG. (Ekanayake, 2010) More specific

inspection, such as for auditory ERPs, the P1, N1, P2, N2, and P3 measured at the frontal
sites, results of EPOC compares well to that of the research EEG system. (Badcock,
Mousikou, Mahajan, Lissa, Thie and McArthur, 2013) However, there are also research that
suggest EPOC be chosen only for non-critical applications such as games, communication
systems, etc. (Duvinage, Castermans, Petieau, Hoellinger, Cheron and Dutoit, 2013) A
comparison between the EMOTIV headset and six gel-based disc electrodes found that it
shows no overall statistically significant difference between the two modalities although
there is a trend for the Emotiv headset to provide worse performance, but, in terms of set up
time, Emotive headset is twice as fast. The results of the comparison suggest the choice of
modality be decided on a case-by-case basis given. (Mayauda, Congedo, Laghenhovea,
Orlikowski, Figèrea, Azaboub and Cheliout-Heraut, 2013) Therefore, while the Emotiv
EPOC is clearly sufficient for consumer use, whether or not it’s up for serious scientific
inquiry is still debatable.
On the other hand, the fixed position of electrodes of EPOC may pose inconvenience
to the need of EEG related research, as researchers may use locations other that those of
EPOC, or even want to use placement systems other than the popular International 10-20
System, the one used by Emotiv EPOC. That said, this may not be a major problem as the
low spatial frequency is already one of the prominent features of EEG. In addition, Emotiv
said that they chose the locations and the number of electrodes deliberately because the
purpose of the EPOC is to do the best possible BCI job with the least difficulty in fitting for
the average consumer, who does not want to mess around with straps and adjustments, and
that they had done serious stats on the problem and found no crucial need to increase the
number of electrodes. (gmac, 2009)
Many applications of EPOC have been implemented. Its portability liberated the
users from the hassle of traditional EEG devices and opened up possibilities of connection
to mobile devices. Work done in mobile devices suggests that the mobility and simplified
application development may enable completely new research directions for imaging
neuroscience and thus offset the expected reduced signal quality of a mobile off-the-shelf,
low-density neuroheadset relative to more conventional and controlled, high-density
laboratory equipment. (Stopczynski, Stahlhut, Larsen, Petersen and Hansen) A team from

Dartmouth College has successfully used neural signals to control iPhones for hands-free,
silent and effortless human-mobile interaction. They implemented an address book dialing
app which works on similar principles to P300-speller, which is a test designed to determine
what the subject is attend to, brain-computer interfaces. (Campbell, Choudhury, Hu, Lu,
Mukerjee, Rabbi and Raizada)
While the immediate and obvious benefit of application of BCI in telepresence
robots is giving disabled patients the ability of navigating environment remotely so that, for
example, they could hang out with their families again, there is much potential for
applications for the non-disabled. A team at Oklahoma State University designed a platform
for "Remote Presence" which enables a person to be present at a remote location through the
embodiment of a humanoid robot. It would help the user to feel total immersion in the
remote environment. This system could immensely benefit a variety of sectors such as
military, medicine, disaster management etc. for carrying out dangerous or physically
intensive tasks. (Thobbi, Kadam and Sheng) More work are being done here, and
optimizations such as giving more autonomy to the telepresent robot can further make the
remote control more efficient. (Shanmugapriya and Senthilkumar, 2013)
As Emotiv claimed, EPOC can also differentiate emotions. So there are potential that
it can be used for pedagogical purposes to monitor students’ frustration or boredom.
(INVENTADO, LEGASPI, SUAREZ and NUMAO, 2011) The monitoring of emotion may
also be helpful in games (Pröll, 2012), where emotional feedback can be used to customize
the player experience. Gaming is also one of the most exciting application of BCIs like
EPOC, with particular features suitable for consumer use. A survey of nearly three hundred
participants that included researchers, game developers and users around the world showed
all three groups agree that games is one the most promising BCI applications. (Ahn, Lee,
Choi and Jun, 2014) Emotiv has provided a online store where games that can be played
with its headsets are available for purchase, and its software development kit (SDK) also
allows developers and third-party companies alike to release games based on the
technology. Several impressive games have been released since, such as Stillalive Studios’
Son of Nor, in which players can control the character and interact with the environment in
game using EPOC.

There are also applications in business, such as NeuroSpire, a "neuromarketing"
solution provider which uses EPOC.
NeuroSky
California-based NeuroSky is one of the earliest companies that got into the
commercialization of BCI. They produces similar devices as Emotiv, including MindSet,
MindWave (Appendix B), and several others with some variations, all of which base on
similar EEG technology.
NeuroSky’s products use, like Emotiv, dry electrodes, but they only have single
channel. A study that recognized the validity and fast setup time of MindSet also noted that
there are major trade-offs in terms of the number of recording locations. (Johnstone,
Blackman and Bruggemann, 2012) Although having only one electrode may cause
restrictions, it is shown that the commercially available dry EEG devices produced by
NeuroSky are a viable solution for use in real-world applications. These devices’ ability to
integrate with open source software, such as BCI2000, and flexible script languages, such as
Matlab, make them suitable candidates for further research in the detection of vigilance
states. (Choi, Jones and Schwartz) On the other hand, it’s also suggested that while these
channels might be useful for some applications such as testing the cognitive load, they are
not for general BCI applications. (Alkhater) There is also experiment that report the single
electrode of NeuroSky’s headset is inadequate for classifying various kinds of mental
activities. (Wang and Larsen)
The usability of MindSet, NeuroSky’s 2009 EEG headset, is evaluated in a study
which defined a model of attention to fuse attention signals with user-generated data in a
Second Life assessment exercise. The results of this evaluation suggest that the MindSet
provides accurate readings regarding attention, since there is a positive correlation between
measured and self-reported attention levels. The results also suggest there are some usability
and technical problems with its operation. (Rebolledo-Mendez, Dunwell, Martínez-Mirón,
Vargas-Cerdán, Freitas, Liarokapis and García-Gaona, 2009) Another study, which use the
Mindwave Mobile EEG to test its validity in children with developmental coordination
disorder (DCD), concluded that, though the single-channel, dry-electrode EEG device has
limited scalp recording locations, it could accurately measure the overall level of mental

attention in children with DCD clinically with no significant influence of eye blinking, and
that the portable device has a potential utility in special pediatric populations, in which ease
of use is the first priority. (Fong, Tsang, Cheng, Ki, Ma and Macfarlane, 2015)
The first use of NeuroSky’s technology was by the USA Olympic Archery team for
training, which also gained the company much media coverage. Other applications include
tele-operation of robot (Vourvopoulos and Liarokapis), attention exercise (Rebolledo-
Mendez and Freitas, 2013), games, and even software development (Fritz, Begelb, Müller,
Yigit-Elliott and Züger). Neurowear, a Japan fashion-electronic company, also used
NeuroSky’s technology to built the Necomimi, a cat-ear headband that respond to the
wearer’s EEG signals that gained popularity among some niche markets. With its SDK,
there are also many user-made applications.
One of the major focuses of NeuroSky’s products is education. Its MindWave is
designed for use by children in grades 2-7 and is marketed as a device to improve school
performance. (BUTLER, 2012) NeuroSky’s official online store provides several such apps.
Focus Pocus, with the MindWave Mobile headset, is claimed to be a game that would
improve attention, concentration, and information retention ability. However, there have not
been many educational research utilizing it, and, pedagogically, it is still regarded as toy or
novelty rather than serious tool.
BCIs for Meditation
InteraXon
InteraXon is a Toronto-based company whose primary product, MUSE headband
(Appendix C), is a crowdfunded EEG monitoring device that’s made to aid meditation.
There are 7 sensors on the MUSE which all will be placed on the user’s forehead. The
capacity of MUSE is somewhat intermediate, with more electrodes than NeuroSky’s
products and more simple wearing design to better fit general users than Emotiv’s EPOC or
Insight. The fact that the
MUSE is much more consumer-facing than the aforementioned two companies
products, and rarely promote any research potential. Therefore, there’s hardly any study
using the MUSE as a tool, and its applications by third party users or companies are
relatively few, though there are SDK in place. The main slogan of InterAxon is that MUSE

would "boost mindfulness" of the user by meditation. MUSE’s meditation training program
is self-contained, with the app also developed by InterAxon, and is marketed as a fully-
fledged mindfulness training product.
While there are little studies to test its usability or validity in academic settings, non-
academic reviews suggest overall mixed reception. A user reached out to the company for
evidence for its claim that the training would help increase mindfulness in absence of the
device but did not receive direct response. (codymclain, 2014) However, user-interface and
product-design-wise, the reviews are mostly positive-hardly a surprise considering
InterAxon’s CEO, Ariel Garten, used to be a fashion designer. Stills, usability concerns are
still present. (Ferriss, 2014)
BCIs for Cognitive Training
Melon
Melon (Appendix D), an eponymous product of the company, is a EEG headband
based on NeuroSky’s chip that claim to help users to gain better focus. Although Melon
came out several years ago, there have been few reviews and none academic mentions. After
being acquired by DAQRI in early 2015, the current status of Melon is unknown.
BCIs for Sleep Tracking
iWink
Based in California, iWink is a rather new and small startup compared with other
companies. Its primary product, Aurora (Appendix E) headset, is also a crowdfunded EEG
"dream-enhancing headband". They claimed the headset would allow users to better control
and experience "lucid dreaming". Since Aurora is still yet to ship, there is no hard evidence
of whether it will live up to its promise or will it have other applications.
Inteliclinic
Inteliclinic is a Polish startup whose NeuroOn (Appendix F) is claimed to be a EEG
sleep mask designed to help travellers to adjust to new time-zones and non-travellers to
regulate their sleep patterns. NeuroOn is still at "pre-launch" stage, so little information can
be gathered and no implication can be made.
Conclusion
Considering the general-purpose BCIs, though there are still lingering doubts of

whether consumer BCIs can produce data as good as the research devices, researchers have
recognized it is sufficient for certain application when consumer products’ particular
advantages are favored, and applications using such devices are also booming in
commercial world. On the other hand, BCIs designed for specific purposes are, albeit some
nebulous efforts, increasingly gaining popularities among certain groups, though, because it
is an even more novel endeavor, reviews are few and the prospect is unclear.
Although the development of BCIs spans decades since its inception, the effort of
the private arm to commercialize BCIs’ potential is still at its infancy. Recent years have
witnessed accelerating growth of off-the-shelf BCIs devices applied to research and
everyday use alike, and several niche markets, gaming, sleep tracking, and cognitive
training, have opened up new opportunities for further intensive progress of BCI technology
that would help both academic researchers and amateur consumers to utilize the devices.

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Appendix A
Emotiv’s EPOC
Appendix B
NeuroSky’s MindSet

Appendix C
InteraXon’s MUSE
Appendix D
Melon

Appendix E
iWinks’Aurora
Appendix F
Inteliclinic’s NeuroOn

A review of consumer brain computer interface devices

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