Nessi: An EEG-Controlled Web Browser for Severely Paralyzed Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Michael Bensch, Ahmed A. Karim, Jürgen Mellinger, Thilo Hinterberger, Michael Tangermann, Martin Bogdan, Wolfgang Rosenstiel, Niels Birbaumer
Primary Institution: University of Tübingen
Hypothesis
Can an EEG-controlled web browser improve internet access for severely paralyzed patients?
Conclusion
The Nessi web browser allows severely paralyzed patients to browse the internet more effectively by using graphical markers that correspond to brain responses.
Supporting Evidence
- Previous systems required users to select links from an alphabetical list, which was limiting.
- Nessi allows users to select any link on a web page using brain responses.
- The interface includes features for e-mail and virtual keyboards, enhancing usability.
- Graphical markers improve the selection process by indicating the required brain response.
Takeaway
Nessi is a special web browser that helps people who can't move much use the internet by reading their brain signals.
Methodology
The Nessi browser was implemented within the Mozilla framework, using graphical markers to represent brain responses for link selection.
Limitations
The study does not address user preferences or difficulties in generating the same brain response repeatedly.
Participant Demographics
The study focuses on severely paralyzed patients, particularly those with locked-in syndrome.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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