Towards Asynchronous Brain-computer Interfaces: A P300-based Approach with Statistical Models

Asynchronous control is a critical issue in developing brain-computer interfaces for real-life applications, where the machine should be able to detect the occurrence of a mental command. In this paper we propose a computational approach for robust asynchronous control using the P300 signal, in a variant of oddball paradigm. First, we use Gaussian models in the support vector margin space to describe various types of EEG signals that are present in an asynchronous P300-based BCI. This allows us to derive a probability measure of control state given EEG observations. Second, we devise a recursive algorithm to detect and locate control states in ongoing EEG. Experimental results indicate that our system allows information transfer at approx. 20 bit/min at low false alarm rate (1/min).