Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Dec 3:14:593883.
doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.593883. eCollection 2020.

Advancing Brain-Computer Interface Applications for Severely Disabled Children Through a Multidisciplinary National Network: Summary of the Inaugural Pediatric BCI Canada Meeting

Eli Kinney-Lang  1   2   3 , Dion Kelly  1   2   3 , Erica D Floreani  1   2   3 , Zeanna Jadavji  1   2   3 , Danette Rowley  1   2   3 , Ephrem Takele Zewdie  1   2   3 , Javad R Anaraki  4   5 , Hosein Bahari  6 , Kim Beckers  1   2   3 , Karen Castelane  5 , Lindsey Crawford  5 , Sarah House  5 , Chelsea A Rauh  5 , Amber Michaud  6 , Matheus Mussi  7 , Jessica Silver  5 , Corinne Tuck  6 , Kim Adams  7 , John Andersen  6   7 , Tom Chau  4   5 , Adam Kirton  1   2   3
Affiliations

Advancing Brain-Computer Interface Applications for Severely Disabled Children Through a Multidisciplinary National Network: Summary of the Inaugural Pediatric BCI Canada Meeting

Eli Kinney-Lang et al. Front Hum Neurosci. .

Abstract

Thousands of youth suffering from acquired brain injury or other early-life neurological disease live, mature, and learn with only limited communication and interaction with their world. Such cognitively capable children are ideal candidates for brain-computer interfaces (BCI). While BCI systems are rapidly evolving, a fundamental gap exists between technological innovators and the patients and families who stand to benefit. Forays into translating BCI systems to children in recent years have revealed that kids can learn to operate simple BCI with proficiency akin to adults. BCI could bring significant boons to the lives of many children with severe physical impairment, supporting their complex physical and social needs. However, children have been neglected in BCI research and a collaborative BCI research community is required to unite and push pediatric BCI development forward. To this end, the pediatric BCI Canada collaborative network (BCI-CAN) was formed, under a unified goal to cooperatively drive forward pediatric BCI innovation and impact. This article reflects on the topics and discussions raised in the foundational BCI-CAN meeting held in Toronto, ON, Canada in November 2019 and suggests the next steps required to see BCI impact the lives of children with severe neurological disease and their families.

Keywords: brain-computer interface; brain-machine interface; cerebral palsy; clinical neuroscience; developmental neuroscience; neurology; pediatrics.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Photo of participants from the first annual brain-computer interfaces (BCI) Kids Canada Meeting held on Nov. 15th at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Alves N., Blain S., Falk T., Leung B., Memarian N., Chau T. (2016). “Access technologies for children and youth with severe motor disabilities,” in Paediatric Rehabilitation Engineering: From Disability to Possibility, eds Chau T., Fairley J. (Abingdon: Taylor & Francis Group; ), 46–86
    1. Brumberg J. S., Pitt K. M., Mantie-Kozlowski A., Burnison J. D. (2018). Brain-computer interfaces for augmentative and alternative communication: a tutorial. Am. J. Speech Lang. Pathol. 27, 1–12. 10.1044/2017_AJSLP-16-0244 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bryans-Bongey S. E. (2018). Tech-based approaches to supporting and engaging diverse learners: visual strategies for success. Contemp. Issues Educ. Res. 11, 45–56. 10.19030/cier.v11i2.10146 - DOI
    1. Carruthers C., Hood C. D. (2007). Building a life of meaning through therapeutic recreation: the leisure and well-being model, Part I. Ther. Recreation J. 41, 276–297.
    1. Chau T., Fairley J. (2016). Paediatric Rehabilitation Engineering: From Disability to Possibility. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis Group.