A versatile hardware platform for brain computer interfaces

This article presents the development of a versatile hardware platform for brain computer interfaces (BCI). The aim of this work is to produce a small, autonomous and configurable BCI platform adaptable to the user´s needs. There are different design lines depending on the possible use of the BCI. The general objectives for the platform were portability, low energy consumption and small size. It has three main modules: the electroencephalography (EEG) amplifier and digitizer; the BCI core; and the communication module. Different alternatives for each module and a comparison between them are presented. Two applications have been used to test the proper operation of the hardware. In the first one, the platform was used to acquire the visual alpha rhythm and manage various electrical devices. On the other one, it has been used to acquire the motor beta rhythm and the visual alpha rhythm to manage the movement of an object on a computer screen.