Development of a Graphical User Interface for processing and visualization of Brain Computer Interface experiments

Abstract

Learning is the process by which new knowledge or skills are acquired and is known to be based on synaptic plasticity and the expansion of the cortical map. However, today it is still difficult to determine the relationship between a specific organizational change at brain level and the learning of a new behaviour. Knowing the functioning of the brain and, in particular, the neural units responsible for the learning process, could make a big difference to those who have suffered a stroke or an amputation and therefore have to relearn the basic locomotor movements. The project that has been carried out has consisted in the development of a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows the processing and visualization of the data obtained from experiments carried out using Brain Computer Interface (BCI) systems. It has been focused on obtaining the tuning curves, which show the firing rates of the neurons with respect to the angle of perturbation, and the trajectories performed by the subject, in order to subsequently visualize them. The graphical interface developed consists of a multiwindow application created using MATLAB App Designer based on the data and functions obtained from BCI experiments performed at Carnegie Mellon University. It is mainly aimed at the biomedical sector, although it could be useful in other fields.