Description

Introduction

Patients who suffer from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or stroke cannot talk and express their everyday basic needs and requests. They can communicate using eye blink since they can still use their eyes and sometimes move their heads. This study suggests new methods for improvements in both speed and ease of use for brainwave headset to detect eye blink We propose a method using “BLINK TALK” which solves their problem by making them communicate. It uses Brain sense headset, the patient can blink to choose each letter and to form a sentence, which is then converted to speech using text to speech converter, the entire code was done on Matlab.

---

How it works?

BlinkTalk performs binary encoding of the blink patterns detected by a Brainsense or Neurosky Mindwave mobile device and translates those codes into preset phrases that through speech synthesis can be selected and spoken by the host computer. The Brainsense or Neurosky Mindwave mobile measures intentionally directed EMG activity (blink strength), which in turn become numeric values that ultimately manifest as communication from the user.

BCI ( Brain Computer Interface ) which monitors EEG waves from the Brain. EEG –Electroencephalography which monitors the Electrical property of the Brain along the Scalp (Non-invasive). Onscreen keyboard keys highlights are occurring repeatedly as a loop when it is supposed to detect the blink, the text gets selected ( Observe the sound occurred while blinking, to indicate that key is selected ), This transmission is taking place via Bluetooth communication. 

---

Demo video

---

Steps to be followed

• Switch on the Mind wave Mobile  or Brainsense
• Connect the Mind wave Mobile  or Brainsense with laptop or Pc via Bluetooth (Default pairing key: 0000)
• Open the code “Blinktalk.m” file using Matlab
• Before Running the program it is essential to change the com port number in the program.
• After connecting the Mindwave mobile to the laptop Go for Bluetooth Settings -> More Bluetooth option ->  COM port tab and observe the com port number which has Direction on “OUTGOING”. It’s the port number which has to be changed in the Program

NOTE: Blink talk folder must contain the additional files that already present in that folder like Blink.jpg, Thinkgear.dll  ( It is essential for Brain sense to communicate with Laptop)

• Open Command prompt simultaneously for identification for “when to BLINK” and Blink gets detected or not
• Run the code by clicking “f 5”
• Observe the “BLINK TALK USING MIND WAVE MOBILE” figure having Onscreen Keyboard and Textbox
• “1,2,3,4” in the First column represents the Rows of the keyboard to select the letters on the respective rows

1. 

• Initially, Blink to select the Row of the keyboard where the letter is present
• Similarly, Each letter is chosen by Eyeblink
• Observe the chosen letters got displayed in the text box
• In the 4^th row there it speaks key, By selecting the key the word/sentence in the text box is spoke out via laptop speakers
• Additionally, it also contains Spacebar option and Deletes option in on-screen keyboard.

 

---

Hardware required                              

• Mind Wave Mobile or Brainsense
• Laptop or Pc  with Bluetooth connectivity and speaker

---

Software required

•  Matlab 2013b (32 bit)

---

Conclusion

The project uses a windows based PC in future mobile or compact size device are ideal for fitting into tight bedside patient environments while still providing a convenient keyboard for operators to use.