Auditory brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and their practical applications

Abstract

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) can provide a communication pathway for patients with severe neuromuscular diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Most current BCI systems rely upon the remaining visual function of individuals; however, patients with severe neuromuscular diseases may lose the ability to gaze at visual targets or to maintain gaze. Therefore, auditory-based BCI paradigms have been recently investigated as one of the alternative BCI modalities. This paper briefly reviews several studies focused on auditory BCI paradigms and discusses their prospects in terms of practical applications.