Signal Characterization for a Musical Rhythm BCI

Abstract

As brain-computer interface technology continues to advance toward practical applications, it can be extended to decoding and synthesizing music from mental imagery. Such a brain-actuated music synthesizer is envisioned to serve as a music composition and performance tool for musicians and non-musicians, as well as a potential communication and rehabilitation tool for the disabled. In order to decode brain activity during music listening, let alone generate new compositions directly from brain activity, a much more detailed knowledge of neural activations and pathways must be developed. To accomplish this, brain recordings with sufficient spatio-temporal resolution must be examined. This work presents preliminary results of signal characterization of electrocorticographic (ECoG) activity during perception of simple musical rhythms.