The goal of this study is refine the usability of a BCI capable communication platform.
The study will take place in the United States area and will enroll up to 10 participants with late stage ALS, traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord injury (SCI) that have assistive communication and computer control needs. Each subject will receive an integrated Cognixion + Apple Vision Pro device that includes an augmented reality brain computer interface and associated communication software. The study duration is 3-4 months for each participant.
The key questions that will be addressed in this study are:
1. Identify the ability of individuals with target indications to use the integrated Cognixion-Apple Vision Pro system to communicate effectively. 2. Identify the ability of such individuals to learn to use BCI, ET-BCI and other modalities, and to measure their progress over time. 3. Identify the effectiveness of the different forms of input supported by the combined Cognixion-Apple Vision Pro system (BCI, eye-tracking) in allowing such individuals to communicate and have agency. 4. Identify how input such as BCI can be optimized to suit the needs of individuals (e.g., specific frequencies that work best for an individual, SNR with different frequencies, number of targets, length of recording for each frequency) and improve overall usability. 5. Identify the extent to which personalization through a large language model (LLM) affects communication. 6. Identify the appropriate capabilities to enable through an agentic communication interface.
Key measures include:
ITR - information transfer rate SUS - system usability scale
Must have a designated on-site support individual who can be trained on the Cognixion system
Fluent in understanding English
18 years or older
Must have one of ALS, spinal cord injury or chronic brain injury and need an assistive communication device
Disruption in English comprehension, either due to lack of fluent proficiency or due to a developmental/acquired language disorder (e.g. aphasia)
Severely hearing impaired or deaf
Sensitivity to flashing lights
Claustrophobia related to the Apple Vision Pro with comfort adapter