A system that allows people with severe brain injuries to communicate using only eye movements and the power of thought is being developed by a researcher at Portsmouth University.rnDr Paul Gnanayutham, senior lecturer in the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, developed the communication interface for patients whose injury has left them unable to speak and motor-impaired. The system is inspired by a gaming interface and consists of three electrodes - the same as used for ECG - attached to the forehead. These pick up tiny voltages from the brain, which are then sent to a box that filters and amplifies them. The resulting signal is fed into the parallel port of a PC to control a cursor on the screen. 'It's hard to control thoughts and words, so we split the screen into tiles or stepping-stones,' said Gnanayutham. 'These could be a simple yes and no, or up to six targets, spread in areas the patient can access.' Gnanayutham tested his system with five patients at the Holy Cross Hospital in Haslemere, Surrey, which works with people with severe disabilities.
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