One day in the future, we may interact with our electronic devices not with physical input or even voice commands, but simply by thinking about what we want to do. Such brain–computer interfaces (BCIs), combined with machine learning, could allow us to turn our ideas into reality faster and with less effort than ever before — imagine being able to produce a PCB design simply by thinking about how the completed circuit would work. Of course as an assistive technology, BCIs would be nothing less than life-changing for many.
Today BCIs are in their infancy, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for hackers and makers to experiment with the concept. [Ildar Rakhmatulin] has been working on low-cost open source BCIs for years, and with the recent release of his PiEEG on Crowd Supply, thinks he’s finally found an affordable solution that will let individuals experiment with this cutting edge technology.
Implemented as a shield that can be connected to a Raspberry Pi 3 or 4, the PiEEG features 8 channels for connecting wet or dry electrodes that can measure biosignals such as those used in electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and electrocardiography (ECG). With the electrodes connected, reading these biosignals is as easy as running a Python script. While primarily designed for neuroscience experimentation, [Ildar] says the device is also useful for learning more about signal processing, filters, and machine learning.
At the time of this writing the Crowd Supply campaign had already hit 300% of its goal, and with a production plan in place that should put hardware in backer’s hands before the end of the year, it looks like we won’t have to wait too long before we see what the community can do with this hardware. While the hardware seems locked in, [Ildar] says work on software examples and documentation is ongoing on the project’s GitHub repository. This already includes instructions on how to make your own dry electrode EEG measurement hat, and a Python script that allows the user to operate a remotely controlled toy by blinking.
We’ve seen open hardware projects designed for biosignal measurement in the past, and we’ve even seen some commercial devices that can be used to collect this data. But the PiEEG is one of the more promising projects we’ve seen in this field, as it provides a turn-key platform for not just data acquisition but hardware interfacing. Now all you’ve got to do is find a Raspberry Pi to plug the thing into…
PiEEG Offers Affordable Brain-Computer Interface
Source: Manila Flash Report
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