ABSTRACT

Electroencephalography is used for variety of clinical applications especially

in diagnosis of epilepsy, coma, death of the brain etc. Brain controlled wheel chair
provides mobility to paralyzed people. If the scalp of the brain is attached with
electrodes, signals are generated. Later on control signals are generated to control the
wheel chair.

EEG acquisition is the basis of our project. P300 signals are the EEG's that
respond to five senses of the person such as hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste.
P300 means positive peak after every 300ms.There are other examples like N200
signals which means signals having negative amplitude after every 200ms.

After acquisition of P300 signals, interface of these signals with computer is

made. In this way we analyze these signals in BCI2000. BCI2000 generate the control
signals to control the electric wheel chair.

So, in this way a person can differentiate among the letters, numbers, objects
etc. Similarly, robotic arm can be controlled whose arm or leg is disabled.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT..........................................................................................1
TABLE OF CONTENTS .....................................................................2
LIST OF FIGURES..............................................................................4
LIST OF ACRONYMS........................................................................5
Chapter 1...............................................................................................6
INTRODUCTION................................................................................6
1.1 Overview...........................................................................................................6
1.2 Problem Statement............................................................................................7
1.3Purpose of the project..........................................................................................7
1.4 Applications of the project.................................................................................7
1.5Project contribution.............................................................................................7
1.6Project organization ...........................................................................................8
Chapter 2...............................................................................................9
LITERATURE REVIEW.....................................................................9
2.1Related Technologies..........................................................................................9
2.1.1 Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG)...................................................9
2.1.2 Magneto encephalography (MEG) .....................................................9
2.1.3 Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) ...............................9
2.1.4 Positron emission tomography (PET) ..............................................10
2.1.5 Electroencephalography (EEG).........................................................10
2.2 Related Projects................................................................................................11
2.3 Related Studies ................................................................................................12
2.4 Limitations and Bottlenecks ............................................................................12
Chapter 3.............................................................................................13
TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES............................................................13
3.1 Hardware used with technical specifications...................................................13
3.1.1 Active Electrodes for EEG Signal Acquisition.................................13
3.1.2 Amplifier Board................................................................................14
3.2 Software, simulation tool used ........................................................................16
3.2.1 BCI2000...........................................................................................16

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Chapter 4.............................................................................................17
METHODOLOGIES..........................................................................17
4.1Hardware Implementation procedure................................................................17
4.1.1 EEG Acquisition..............................................................................17
4.1.2 Amplifier Board...............................................................................17
Chapter 5.............................................................................................21
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS.............................................................21
5.1 Presentation of the findings .............................................................................21
Chapter 6................................................................................................................26
CONCLUSION...................................................................................26
BIBLOGRAPHY AND REFRENCES...............................................27

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Fig. 2.1 – Waveforms of Different EEG’S

Fig. 3.1 – Active Electrode Components
Fig. 3.2 – Schematic of Amplifier Board
Fig. 4.1 – Protection Circuit
Fig. 4.2 – Instrumentation Amplifier
Fig. 4.3(a) – 1st Stage Filter
Fig. 4.3(b) – 2nd Stage Filter
Fig. 5.1 – Sound Card Scope EEG Raw Signal
Fig. 5.2 - Original Sound Card Signal with Noise Having Frequency 6 Hz
Fig. 5.3 - Eye Blink Test
Fig. 5.4 – Tooth Grinding Test
Fig. 5.5 - ECG Signal
Fig. 5.6 - ECG Signal with Frequency by Stopping Breath
Fig. 5.7 - Original ECG Signal Using LPF

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 LIST OF ACRONYMS

EEG Electroencephalography
ECG Electrocardiography

Rg Gain Resistor

BCI Brain Computer Interface

MEG Magneto Encephalography
FMRI Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
PET Positron Emission Tomography
BSS Blind Signal Separation
STFF Space Time Frequency Filtering

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Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Overview

The project is about controlling the wheel chair via electroencephalographic (EEG)
signals. Electroencephalography means recording of electric signals from the brain. It
is used for variety of clinical applications especially in diagnosis of epilepsy, coma,
stroke, tumor etc. There are many waveforms in EEG depending upon its frequency
and shape for example delta, beta, mu, P300, N200 etc.
P300 signals are the EEG's that respond to five senses of the person such as hearing,
sight, touch, smell and taste. P300 means positive peak after every 300ms.There are
other examples like N200 signals which means signals having negative amplitude
after every 200ms. P300 are the signals that are used to control the direction of
electronic wheel chair. These signals are generated from the specific position on the
brain such as F3, F4, P3 and P4. Letters F and P are frontal and parietal lobe using the
international 10-20 system of electrode placement. It is system for the placement of
electrodes at specific intervals along the head that is used most widely around the
world. Each lobe is identified using letters such as P, F and C etc. If the scalp of the
brain is attached with electrodes at F3, F4, P3 and P4 positions, P300 signals will
generate. These signals are of low amplitude. Therefore they are amplified many
times.
Later on these amplified signals are interfaced with software BCI2000. BCI2000 is
used for the building brain computer interface systems from the EEG's such as P300
signals. It provides control capability and the communication capability to person
with disabilities like paralysis etc. Later on control signals are generated using
BCI2000 to control the wheel chair.
.

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1.2 Problem Statement

There are millions of paralyzed people around the world. A person with paralyze legs
and arms can not move around independently.
EEG signals are of very low amplitude such as few micro volts only. The acquisition
of these signals can easily subject to noise.
EEG varies from people to people. Therefore BCI2000 has to average 50-60 signals
of different people.

1.3 Purpose of the project

The ultimate purpose is to provide mobility to paralyze people by using brain

controlled wheel chair. Paralyzed muscles such as legs and hands are disabled organs
of the body. So, if only the brain fully functional then he can still move easily around
with brain controlled wheel chair.

1.4 Applications of the project

Brain controlled wheel chair can be used to control the robotic arm by replacing
robotic arm with wheel chair.
Similarly, it provides the mobility to paralyzed people.

1.5 Project contribution

o Low amplitude EEG signals acquisition

o Amplification of acquired signals

o Digitization of the amplified signals

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 o Interface with computer using software BCI2000 to generate control signals
for wheel chair.

1.6 Project organization

Chapter 1 is the introduction of the project. It includes the overview, statement of the
problem, purpose, applications of the project.

Chapter 2 is about literature review of the project. It includes related technologies,

projects, studies and limitations of the project.

Chapter 3 is about the tools and techniques of the Project. It includes the hardware
used with complete technical specifications, software tools used for the project.

Chapter 4 is about the methodologies and implementation of the project. It includes

design, analysis procedures, implementation procedure and verification of
functionalities and mathematical modeling of the project.

Chapter 5 is about the results and analysis of the project. It includes hardware and
software results, discussion of the findings, limitations and recommendations of the
project

Chapter 6 is about the conclusion of the whole report

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Chapter 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Related Technologies

The core of project is the EEG's. EEG stands for electroencephalography. Electro
means electric signals, encephalo means related to the brain and graphy means
drawing. It means EEG is the drawing of electric signals from the scalp of the brain.
As it is related to the brain so, its related technologies are as follows

2.1.1 Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG)

An ECG is the recording of electrical activity from the heart detected

by electrodes attached to the outer surface of the skin and recorded by a device
external to the body.

2.1.2 Magneto encephalography (MEG)

Magneto encephalography is used for mapping brain activity from electric currents
produced within the brain. In this way, magnetic field is produced. The recording of
these magnetic fields is called Magneto encephalography. Research areas are Pictorial
evaluation of brain various parts, Cognitive brain processes etc.

2.1.3 Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging is the measuring of brain activity by detecting

changes in the blood flow. It is used both in research and clinical use.

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2.1.4 Positron emission tomography (PET)

Positron emission tomography is a procedure for the acquisition of three dimensional

pictures of the functional processes of the human body.

2.1.5 Electroencephalography (EEG)

EEG signals first have been recorded in 1870’s. Slowly scientists discover that these
EEG signals not only show the function of the brain but also give information about
the body movements. Different diseases or disorders in the brain can be recorded and
diagnosed. Electro (electric signals from neuron within the scalp) graphy means
drawing or recording the signals. These are also called bioelectric signals.

There are certain wave patterns in EEG which is shown in fig. 2.1

• Delta frequency range is up to 4 HZ

• Thetas frequency range is between 4-8 HZ

• Alpha frequency range is up to 8-13 HZ

• Beta frequency range is greater than 13-30 HZ

• Gamma frequency range is from 30-100 plus HZ

• Mu frequency range is between 8-13 HZ

Fig. 2.1 – Waveforms of different EEG’s

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Some EEG artifacts are

• Eye blinks

• Eye movements

• Extra-Ocular muscle activity

• EMG which is due to the activation of muscles

• Gloss kinetic artifacts

• Environmental artifacts are due to not good grounding of electrodes

which cause 50-60 HZ artifact, movement of the subject etc

2.2 Related Projects

There are several projects related to brain controlled wheel chair had been done
before. Humana has built the brain controlled wheel chair with great success. Its
author is PRO JERKEY. It was published on DEC 9, 2010 under the license of BY-
NO-SA.

The Parts of the Project are

EEG headset, electric wheelchair, laptop, an auridono, interfacing circuit, software’s

The software used is specifically written for the project. [1]

In Japan researchers had made a success in controlling the wheel chair by thought
.The electrodes cap acquire the brain waves in 125 th of a second. It is very efficient
and is 95 percent accurate after the experiments were made. National Geographic

had also made a documentary on it. [2]

Similarly Toyota and Riken research lab have already made the brain controlled
wheel chair. [3]

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2.3 Related Studies

In Japan's BSI-TOYOTA Collaboration Center observed that the sensor set used for
the recording of EEG can also be used for Blind signal separation and space time
frequency filtering.

Blind signal separation (BSS) can also be used to control the electric wheel chair.
BSS separates the two components from the signal such as noise components and
required signal components of brain waves. Similarly, space time frequency filtering
(STFF) can also be used to control the electric wheel chair. As the name suggests,
space time frequency filtering (STFF) extracts space and time patterns and frequency
oscillation data from EEG electrodes to discriminate significant features and
components. [4]

2.4 Limitations and Bottlenecks

Electroencephalography has much limitation such as poor spatial resolution of EEG

signal, sensitive to post synaptic signals. Most importantly different people have
different EEG's. It means that EEG varies in amplitudes from people to people. So
there is need of training of subject on the software such as BCI2000 which is used to
control the electric wheel chair.

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Chapter 3

TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

3.1 Hardware used with technical specifications

The hardware consists of three major parts which are active electrode or passive
electrode, amplifier board and digital board. Active Electrode consists of operation
amplifier and silver wire. Amplifier board consists of instrumentation amplifier,
filters, right leg driver and operation amplifiers. The detailed description of all parts
used is give below,

3.1.1 Active Electrodes for EEG Signal Acquisition

Electrodes are used to detect electrical current. In our case we place them on our scalp
to detect brainwaves.
There are two basic types of electrodes
• Active
• Passive
Active electrodes are electrodes plus some circuitry which is used for amplification. It
greatly improves the EEG signal.
Passive electrodes are simple electrodes requires the skin preparation and conductive
paste

3.1.1.1 Active Electrode Components

The active electrode components is shown in Fig 3.1

• 200k & Resistors

• 100Ohm Resistors
• 100pF Capacitors

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 • 10nF Capacitors
• TLC272 Op amps amplifies the EEG signals
• Silver wire of 1mm diameter

Fig. 3.1 – Active Electrode Components

3.1.1.2 Passive Electrode Components

Passive electrodes need no additional circuitry. There are many kind of passive
electrodes like saline salt electrode, paste/gel electrodes etc.

3.1.2 Amplifier Board

Amplifier Board components used for amplification of signals are

• Protection Circuit
• Instrumentation Amplifier
• Operational Amplifier
• Low Pass Filter
• DRL Circuit
The schematic of amplifier board is shown in fig. 3.2

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 Fig. 3.2– The Schematic of Amplifier Board
Figure 3.2 is the schematic of the amplifier board which we unfortunately were unable
to complete due to non availability of components and issues in the making of active
electrodes. So, we adopt the design of different amplifier board with little
modification of Fig. 3.2.

3.2 Software, simulation tool used

3.2.1 BCI2000

BCI stands for brain computer interface. It is used for research, signal acquisition,
stimulus operation and brain monitoring applications. BCI provides control capability
and the communication capability to person with disabilities like Paralysis etc. It is
used for the building of BCI systems from the brain signals. Algorithms are provided
in the BCI toolboxes. Only we need is to provide the P300 signals to BCI2000.
BCI2000 takes 50-6- samples of P300 signals of different person and ask them think
about some specific thing. In this way, 50-60 samples are averaged. The need of too
many samples is due the fact that EEG waveform varies from person to person.

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Chapter 4

METHODOLOGIES

4.1 Hardware Implementation procedure

The design of the hardware needs signal acquisition, signal amplification and
computer interface. The detailed description of all parts is give below,

4.1.1 EEG Acquisition

EEG signals are merely of few micro volts. So, passive electrodes are used.

Due to very low amplitude of EEG signal, it can be easily subjected to noise
particularly 50/60Hz hum main from the wirings nearby.

4.1.2 Amplifier Board

After the acquisition of signals, they are amplifier thousand times[5]. The detailed
description is given below

4.1.2.1 Protection Circuit

The EEG signal is picked up by the two topmost electrodes and passed through the
protection circuit. It serves two purposes

• It protects the circuit from ESD

• It protects the user from failing circuitry

Capacitors of 2200 ohm C210, C206 and C207 cancel out radio-frequency signals.
Then the transistors act as clamping diodes and some resistors as shown in Fig.4.1

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 Fig. 4.1 – Protection Circuit

4.1.2.2 Instrumentation Amplifier

Instrumentation amplifier is a kind of differential amplifier whose output is the

difference of the inputs multiplied by the gain. Gain can be set by a single resistor
which is 12.2. IC used is AD620 which is a high precision instrumentation amplifier.
Its major application is ECG amplification. Following are the two characteristics of
instrumentation amplifier,
• Measures V difference between two locations
• Common-mode signal = ( (+) + (-) ) inputs / 2

50/60 main hum canceled by instrumentation amplifier as main hum on both

electrodes are same. It ensures the main hum never enters the system.

DRL stands for Right Leg Driver because it is attached to right leg. It is used to cancel
common-mode signals coming from mains hum.

Instrumentation amplifier amplifies the EEG .It has low impedance and is little
subjected to noise .The gain is

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 G = 1 + 50 / Rg, (Eq. 4.1)

where

Rg = R216 + R217 (Eq. 4.2)

One external resistor is used to set the gain such as Rg. Rg are of 2200 ohm each as
shown in Fig. 4.2

Fig. 4.2 – Instrumentation Amplifier

4.1.2.3 Operation Amplifiers

Instrumentation amplifier is then followed by the non-inverting amplifier. An

operational amplifier is a differential amplifier with a single ended output.

Fig. 4.3(a) – 1st Stage Amplifier

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 Fig. 4.3(b) – 2nd Stage Amplifier

Gain of 1st stage amplifier is 40 as shown in Fig, 4.3(a). Due to P203, gain can be
varied from 6 to 100. Last amplifier amplifies EEG signal 16 times more as shown in
fig. 4.3(b).

G = (P203 + R222 + R225) / P203 + R222 (Eq. 4.3)

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Chapter 5

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

5.1 Presentation of the findings

The most interesting part of the project is their results and analysis. After the
acquisition of bioelectric signals from passive electrodes, it is sent to instrumentation
amplifiers and then operation amplifiers for the amplification of EEG signals. For the
visualization of these EEG's we use the software named sound card scope. The raw
EEG obtained using sound card scope is shown in fig. 5.1.

Fig. 5.1 – Sound card scope EEG raw signal

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EEG signal with frequency 6 Hz having noise is shown in fig. 5.2. As explained in the
last chapter noise can be in the form of DC offsets which will also be amplified along
with the EEG likewise, noise can be 50/60 Hz main hum due to surroundings wiring.

Fig. 5.2 - Original sound card signal

with noise having frequency 6 Hz

Fig. 5.3 - Eye blink test

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The ideal test for EEG is the eye blink test and tooth grinding test. In eye blink test,
amplitude is increased. This can be seen in spectrum analyzer shown in Fig. 5.3

Fig. 5.4 – Tooth grinding

test
In tooth grinding test, maximum amplitude of the raw EEG is increased and minimum
is decreased as shown in Fig. 5.4.

Fig. 5.5 - ECG signal

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 The ECG signal can be obtained by putting two active electrodes near heart
and ground electrode at right leg as shown in Fig. 5.5.
The frequency of ECG signal obtained by stopping the breath is 73.59 Hz as
shown in fig. 5.6.

Fig. 5.6 - ECG signal with frequency by stopping breath

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To obtain the real EEG or ECG signal we have to filter the signal. A signal is a
mixture of EEG or ECG with noises. So, using the low pass filter which is inside the
sound card scope, pure ECG is obtained. The low pass filtered signal is shown in Fig.
5.7. The cutoff frequency of the low pass filter is 50 Hz.

Fig. 5.7 – Original ECG using LPF

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Chapter 6

CONCLUSION

To achieve the goal of making of brain controlled wheel chair, P300 signal has
acquired. It is obtained by putting passive electrodes at positions P3, P4, F3 and F4 of
the head. After the acquisition of P300 signal has made, amplification of the signal
has done. Amplification has been made by instrumentation amplifier AD620 with the
gain of 12.2. Again the amplification is made by two operational amplifiers TLC277
with the gain of 40 and 16 respectively.
After the amplification of P300 signals, signals are digitized using microcontroller.
The output of the microcontroller is 14 Hz PWM square wave signal. In this way,
brain computer interface is achieved.

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 BIBLOGRAPHY AND REFRENCES

[1]http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/090702-brain-controlled-
wheelchair.html

[2]http://www.instructables.com/id/Brain-Controlled-Wheelchair/#

[3]http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629101848.htm

[4]http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629101848.htm

[5]openeeg.sourceforge.net/doc/modeeg/modeeg.html

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