Smart Wheelchairs and Brain-Computer Interfaces: Mobile Assistive Technologies combines the fields of neuroscience, rehabilitation and robotics via contributions from experts in their field to help readers develop new mobile assistive technologies. It provides information on robotics, control algorithm design for mobile robotics systems, ultrasonic and laser sensors for measurement and trajectory planning, and is ideal for researchers in BCI. A full view of this new field is presented, giving readers the current research in the field of smart wheelchairs, potential control mechanisms and human interfaces that covers mobility, particularly powered mobility, smart wheelchairs, particularly sensors, control mechanisms, and human interfaces. - Presents the first book that combines BCI and mobile robotics - Focuses on fundamentals and developments in assistive robotic devices which are commanded by alternative ways, such as the brain - Provides an overview of the technologies that are already available to support research and the development of new products

Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology provides a means of communication that allows individuals with severely impaired movement to communicate with assistive devices using the electroencephalogram (EEG) or other brain signals. The practicality of a BCI has been possible due to advances in multi-disciplinary areas of research related to cognitive neuroscience, brain-imaging techniques and human-computer interfaces. However, two major challenges remain in making BCI for assistive robotics practical for day-to-day use: the inherent lower bandwidth of BCI, and how to best handle the unknown embedded noise within the raw EEG. Brain-Computer Interfacing for Assistive Robotics is a result of research focusing on these important aspects of BCI for real-time assistive robotic application. It details the fundamental issues related to non-stationary EEG signal processing (filtering) and the need of an alternative approach for the same. Additionally, the book also discusses techniques for overcoming lower bandwidth of BCIs by designing novel use-centric graphical user interfaces. A detailed investigation into both these approaches is discussed. - An innovative reference on the brain-computer interface (BCI) and its utility in computational neuroscience and assistive robotics - Written for mature and early stage researchers, postgraduate and doctoral students, and computational neuroscientists, this book is a novel guide to the fundamentals of quantum mechanics for BCI - Full-colour text that focuses on brain-computer interfacing for real-time assistive robotic application and details the fundamental issues related with signal processing and the need for alternative approaches - A detailed introduction as well as an in-depth analysis of challenges and issues in developing practical brain-computer interfaces.

Assistive robots are categorized as robots that share their area of work and interact with humans. Their main goals are to help, assist, and monitor humans, especially people with disabilities. To achieve these goals, it is necessary that these robots possess a series of characteristics, namely the abilities to perceive their environment from their sensors and act consequently, to interact with people in a multimodal manner, and to navigate and make decisions autonomously. This complexity demands computationally expensive algorithms to be performed in real time. The advent of high-end embedded processors has enabled several such algorithms to be processed concurrently and in real time. All these capabilities involve, to a greater or less extent, the use of machine learning techniques. In particular, in the last few years, new deep learning techniques have enabled a very important qualitative leap in different problems related to perception, navigation, and human understanding. In this Special Issue, several works are presented involving the use of machine learning techniques for assistive technologies, in particular for assistive robots.

Brain-Computer Interfacing, Volume 168, not only gives readers a clear understanding of what BCI science is currently offering, but also describes future expectations for restoring lost brain function in patients. In-depth technological chapters are aimed at those interested in BCI technologies and the nature of brain signals, while more comprehensive summaries are provided in the more applied chapters. Readers will be able to grasp BCI concepts, understand what needs the technologies can meet, and provide an informed opinion on BCI science. - Explores how many different causes of disability have similar functional consequences (loss of mobility, communication etc.) - Addresses how BCI can be of use - Presents a multidisciplinary review of BCI technologies and the opportunities they provide for people in need of a new kind of prosthetic - Offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary review of BCI for researchers in neuroscience and traumatic brain injury that is also ideal for clinicians in neurology and neurosurgery

This book deals with the growing challenges of using assistive robots in our everyday activities along with providing intelligent assistive services. The presented applications concern mainly healthcare and wellness such as helping elderly people, assisting dependent persons, habitat monitoring in smart environments, well-being, security, etc. These applications reveal also new challenges regarding control theory, mechanical design, mechatronics, portability, acceptability, scalability, security, etc.

Brain-machine interfacing or brain-computer interfacing (BMI/BCI) is an emerging and challenging technology used in engineering and neuroscience. The ultimate goal is to provide a pathway from the brain to the external world via mapping, assisting, augmenting or repairing human cognitive or sensory-motor functions.

Robotics and VR systems are uniquely suited to provide functional assistance with mobility and activities of daily living, especially for patients with motor and sensory disorders of the central nervous system, stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy. Compiling both current knowledge and key challenges of robotic rehabilitation in one convenient text, Robotics in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow resource on robotic and VR systems in all areas of medical rehabilitation. - Covers the impact of robotics and artificial intelligence on all aspects of health care delivery. - Focuses on the key technologies in developing robotics for a wide range of medical rehabilitation activities, including neuroprosthesis applications of robotic exoskeletons and brain-controlled assistive robotics and prosthetics. - Addresses artificial intelligence, medical robotics in acute care medicine, and robots on the battlefield and in space travel. - Contains chapters on the economics of the robotic industry and the future of robots in medicine. - Ideal for physiatrists and PM&R residents and fellows; clinicians in orthopaedics, sports medicine, spinal cord injury, and occupational therapy; and specialists working with orthotics and prosthetics.

The Annual BCI Research Awards are international prizes that recognize the top new projects in brain-computer interface (BCI) research. This book contains summaries of the key projects from the 2018 BCI Research Award. Each article is authored by the group of researchers who developed the project, and articles have been updated with new progress achieved since 2018. They are complemented by an introduction by the editors together with a chapter of highlights and interviews with the 2018 award winners. One of the prominent trends in recent years has been the development of BCIs for new patient groups; many chapters in this book present emerging and novel research directions likely to become more prevalent in the near future.

Neuro-robotics is one of the most multidisciplinary fields of the last decades, fusing information and knowledge from neuroscience, engineering and computer science. This book focuses on the results from the strategic alliance between Neuroscience and Robotics that help the scientific community to better understand the brain as well as design robotic devices and algorithms for interfacing humans and robots. The first part of the book introduces the idea of neuro-robotics, by presenting state-of-the-art bio-inspired devices. The second part of the book focuses on human-machine interfaces for performance augmentation, which can seen as augmentation of abilities of healthy subjects or assistance in case of the mobility impaired. The third part of the book focuses on the inverse problem, i.e. how we can use robotic devices that physically interact with the human body, in order (a) to understand human motor control and (b) to provide therapy to neurologically impaired people or people with disabilities.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second IFIP WG 5.5/SOCOLNET Doctoral Conference on Computing, Electrical and Industrial Systems, DoCEIS 2011, held in Costa de Caparica, Portugal, in February 2011. The 67 revised full papers were carefully selected from numerous submissions. They cover a wide spectrum of topics ranging from collaborative enterprise networks to microelectronics. The papers are organized in topical sections on collaborative networks, service-oriented systems, computational intelligence, robotic systems, Petri nets, sensorial and perceptional systems, sensorial systems and decision, signal processing, fault-tolerant systems, control systems, energy systems, electrical machines, and electronics.