DARPA-funded efforts in the development of novel brain-computer interface technologies

Robbin A Miranda; William D Casebeer; Amy M Hein; Jack W Judy; Eric P Krotkov; Tracy L Laabs; Justin E Manzo; Kent G Pankratz; Gill A Pratt; Justin C Sanchez; Douglas J Weber; Tracey L Wheeler; Geoffrey S F Ling

doi:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.07.019

DARPA-funded efforts in the development of novel brain-computer interface technologies

J Neurosci Methods. 2015 Apr 15:244:52-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.07.019. Epub 2014 Aug 9.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Infinimetrics Corporation, 2238 Chestertown Dr., Vienna, VA 22182, USA. Electronic address: Robbin.Miranda.ctr@darpa.mil.
² Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Biological Technologies Office, 675N. Randolph St., Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: William.Casebeer@darpa.mil.
³ Strategic Analysis, Inc., 4075 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: Amy.Hein.ctr@darpa.mil.
⁴ Nanoscience Institute for Medical and Engineering Technology, University of Florida, 1041 Center Dr., P.O. Box 116621, Gainesville, FL 32611-6621, USA. Electronic address: jack.judy@ufl.edu.
⁵ Griffin Technologies, Inc., 1218 Drayton Ln., Wynnewood, PA 19096, USA. Electronic address: Eric.Krotkov.ctr@darpa.mil.
⁶ Strategic Analysis, Inc., 4075 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: Tracy.Laabs.ctr@darpa.mil.
⁷ Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., 3811 Fairfax Dr., Ste. 600, Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: manzo_justin@bah.com.
⁸ Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., 3811 Fairfax Dr., Ste. 600, Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: Kent.Pankratz.ctr@darpa.mil.
⁹ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Sciences Office, 675N. Randolph St., Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: Gill.Pratt@darpa.mil.
¹⁰ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Biological Technologies Office, 675N. Randolph St., Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: Justin.Sanchez@darpa.mil.
¹¹ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Biological Technologies Office, 675N. Randolph St., Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: Douglas.Weber@darpa.mil.
¹² System Planning Corporation, 3601 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201, USA. Electronic address: Tracey.Wheeler.ctr@darpa.mil.
¹³ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Biological Technologies Office, 675N. Randolph St., Arlington, VA 22203, USA. Electronic address: Geoffrey.Ling@darpa.mil.

PMID: 25107852
DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.07.019

Abstract

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has funded innovative scientific research and technology developments in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) since the 1970s. This review highlights some of DARPA's major advances in the field of BCI, particularly those made in recent years. Two broad categories of DARPA programs are presented with respect to the ultimate goals of supporting the nation's warfighters: (1) BCI efforts aimed at restoring neural and/or behavioral function, and (2) BCI efforts aimed at improving human training and performance. The programs discussed are synergistic and complementary to one another, and, moreover, promote interdisciplinary collaborations among researchers, engineers, and clinicians. Finally, this review includes a summary of some of the remaining challenges for the field of BCI, as well as the goals of new DARPA efforts in this domain.

Keywords: Brain–computer interface; Brain–machine interface; DARPA; Neuroscience.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Brain / physiology*
Brain-Computer Interfaces*
Humans
Man-Machine Systems*
Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
User-Computer Interface*