• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2010

There are a great numbers of disabled individuals who cannot freely move or control specific parts of their body because of serious neurological diseases such as spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, brainstem stroke, and so on. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) can help them to drive and control external devices using only their brain activity, without the need for physical body movements. Over the past 30 years, several Bel research programs have arisen and tried to develop new communication and control technology for those who are completely paralyzed. Thanks to the rapid development of computer science and neuroimaging technology, new understandings of brain functions, and most importantly many researchers' efforts, Bel is now becoming 'practical' to some extent. The present review article summarizes the current state of electroencephalogram (EEG)-based Bel, which have been being studied most widely, with specific emphasis on its basic concepts, system developments, and prospects for the future.