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Objective:
Astronauts cannot easily use keypads and conventional interfaces on orbit, due to weightlessness, protective suits, and other factors. Speech interfaces are one solution. Neuroelectric interfaces -- non-speech audio, haptic, electroencephalographic (EEG), electromyographic (EMG), eye-movement, and integrated multisensory interface concepts -- can provide additional high-speed control channels. These are particularly suitable for wearable, virtual, and immersive systems. They will increase the bandwidth of human-system interaction while adding new control modes and useful redundancy. This research task will develop multimodal neuroelectric controls (EMG and EEG) for NASA-related applications, to operate in parallel with keyboards, speech, or conventional controls. Applications may include virtual-reality interaction with 2-D and 3-D data, e.g., visualization and searching in complex data structures such as maps, satellite images, and terrain databases. Research challenges include intelligent sensing and management of data bandwidth; recording and playback of integrated data streams; methods for integrating and analyzing real-time multivariate data; and non-standard methods of manipulation and control.
Applications:
Control using limited physical movement in restricted environments (pilots, space-suited astronauts); gesture-based interfaces (immersive virtual reality, map/image/data access, wearable computers); emergency control channels (rehabilitative medicine).
NASA Benefit:
Astronauts in space suits have very limited dexterity. Neuroelectric muscle and brain signals (EMG and EEG channels) can provide new modes of interaction for routine tasks (e.g., virtual-reality navigation of online information), robotic control, or redundant and emergency channels of control. Immediate and intimate connections with the human nervous system could optimize human-system performance on long-duration space missions, or enhance human performance in civil, commercial, and military aviation. Probable spin-offs include sensory feedback systems for enhanced situational awareness, applications in rehabilitative medicine, and assistive technologies for injured astronauts or space colonists.
Keywords:
neuroelectric control, immersive interfaces, hand gestures, eye movement, EMG, EEG, HCI
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