"Direct Brain Interfaces From the Trenches"
David Jayne, ALS Activist, Neural Implant patient and Direct Brain Interface Test Pilot
Melody Moore Jackson, Visiting Associate Professor, Georgia Tech BrainLab, College of Computing

12:00 Noon on Thursday, February 9, 2006
TSRB 132

A Direct Brain-Computer Interface (DBI) is a system that detects minute electrophysiological changes in brain signals, and uses them to provide a channel to control computers and other devices. DBI systems have traditionally targeted people with severe physical disabilities such as locked-in syndrome and strokes. The new Georgia Tech BrainLab (recently moved from Georgia State) is devoted to exploring the possibilities of real-world applications for DBI and other biometric interfaces, both for assistive technology and mainstream applications. Dr. Moore Jackson will outline several approaches to both invasive and non-invasive DBIs, including the neurotrophic electrode, EEG rhythms such as mu (in the motor cortex) and evoked responses such as SSVEP (visual cortex) and P300 (parietal cortex). She will also describe a new device, the OTIS functional Near Infrared (fNIR) system, which offers great promise.

David Jayne has lived with ALS since 1987. It has had a profound effect on his life and his family. Although he uses a ventilator and a power wheelchair, he can still communicate via assistive technology, including a voice synthesizer. He is still a vocal and active force for disability rights. He was one of the first humans to be implanted with a DBI device, the Neurotrophic Electrode (Kennedy). David is currently testing neural interfaces for the GT BrainLab. David will share his experiences as an implant patient and DBI user.

David Jayne was New Mobility’s Person of the Year in 2002. For more information, see http://www.rideforlife.com/archives/000380.html.

Dr. Jackson is the director of the Georgia Tech BrainLab, whose mission is to research innovative human-computer interaction for people with severe disabilities. Dr. Jackson’s work focuses on studying real-world applications for direct brain interfaces as well as other biometric interfaces. She also maintains a strong interest in software evolution technologies, and is currently researching context-dependent user interface reengineering. Her work has been funded by a variety of sponsors including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health (NINDS), NIDRR and DARPA.

Prior to Georgia Tech, Dr. Jackson was a tenured associate professor at Georgia State University in the Computer Information Systems Department, where she originally created the BrainLab and directed it for seven years. Previous to that, she was a Senior Research Scientist in the College of Computing at Georgia Tech, creating and directing the Open Systems lab, and teaching Software Engineering. Before coming to academia, she worked for nine years in industry as a professional software engineer developing real-time embedded systems, secure operating systems, networking, and compilers. Companies included Texas Instruments, Sperry, and National Semiconductor.

Dr. Jackson holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology (1998). Her dissertation work in user interface reengineering combined the areas of Human-Computer Interface and Software Engineering, and her minor was Postsecondary Education. Dr. Jackson also holds a B.A. in Computer Science with a minor in Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin (1980), and the M.S. of Information and Computer Science from Georgia Tech (1988).