Sleep disconnect safety override for direct human-computer neural interfaces for the control of computer controlled functions

摘要

Neural human-computer interface is likely to be used to control mechanical and electrical functions. It should be understood that falling asleep by the user during neural control operations could produce undesirable and even disastrous results. During the sleep state, the neural activity would still continue to be monitored and produce involuntary signals leading to the unintended results. ;The sleep problem is circumvented by providing, in a system for tracking neural activity in a user and using an electrical signal based on said tracked activity for controlling computer controlled functions, an implementation for preventing neural activity during the user's sleep from being used for controlling said functions that comprises the combination of predetermining a neural activity pattern indicative of the transition of a user from awake to asleep, monitoring the neural activity of said user for said predetermined neural activity pattern and responsive to the detection of the predetermined neural activity pattern terminating said use of said electrical signals. A convenient implementation for monitoring is through an electroencephalography (EEG) monitor.