ABSTRACT
This chapter uses the term 'patient' to refer to an individual with motor and/or cognitive disabilities, a brain-injury such as: locked-in syndrome (LIS) and disorders of consciousness (DOC). It reviews the current brain-computer interface (BCI) literature in the context of brain-injured patients. A BCI is a system enabling a person to communicate with the external world without using traditional pathways such as peripheral nerves and muscles. While the former terminology is used in the electroencephalography (EEG) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) brain interface communities, the latter is commonly used in the invasive recording brain interface community. Disregarding the clinical reality of these patients, which can vary substantially from one person to another, would lead to unsuccessful BCI designs. Improving diagnoses and unlocking communication ability in these patients could lead to improved rehabilitation strategies, quality of life, and prognosis. Human brain activity can be recorded either invasively, using intracortical microelectrode arrays or electrocorticography.
