Pub Date : 2021-08-31DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198813910.003.0003
W. Glannon
This chapter describes differences between passive and active brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). It explains how active BCIs enable users to move a prosthetic arm or limb, or a computer cursor, and gives them a certain degree of control over these movements. There is shared control between the user and the interface, and this restores the user’s capacity for agency. In normal voluntary bodily movements, one does not have to think about performing them. In BCI-mediated movements, the user must plan how to use the system in activating and directing brain signals to the computer to perform them. There are two intentions: intending to perform an action; and intending to perform it with a BCI. There are two mental acts: activating and directing signals to the computer to produce the motor output. The fact that there are two intentions and two mental acts resulting in a physical movement could motivate a revision of moral and legal criteria of responsibility for BCI users. It could influence judgements of responsibility for actions, omissions, and their consequences.
{"title":"Brain–Computer Interfaces for Movement","authors":"W. Glannon","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198813910.003.0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198813910.003.0003","url":null,"abstract":"This chapter describes differences between passive and active brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). It explains how active BCIs enable users to move a prosthetic arm or limb, or a computer cursor, and gives them a certain degree of control over these movements. There is shared control between the user and the interface, and this restores the user’s capacity for agency. In normal voluntary bodily movements, one does not have to think about performing them. In BCI-mediated movements, the user must plan how to use the system in activating and directing brain signals to the computer to perform them. There are two intentions: intending to perform an action; and intending to perform it with a BCI. There are two mental acts: activating and directing signals to the computer to produce the motor output. The fact that there are two intentions and two mental acts resulting in a physical movement could motivate a revision of moral and legal criteria of responsibility for BCI users. It could influence judgements of responsibility for actions, omissions, and their consequences.","PeriodicalId":338850,"journal":{"name":"Neural Prosthetics","volume":"82 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124329186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-08-31DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198813910.003.0007
Walter Glannon
This section summarizes the main neuroscientific and philosophical issues regarding neural prosthetics. It comments on the therapeutic potential of more and less invasive systems to restore sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. It also speculates on future neural prosthetics and how they might change our view of the brain–mind relation and our concept of ourselves as humans. The current state of neural prosthetics does not indicate that machines and implants control the thought and behaviour of people to whom they are connected or in whom they are implanted. There is no loss of control but shared control between these artificial systems and the people who use them. The rehabilitative and restorative capacity of neural prosthetics enable those with neurological or physical disabilities to acquire or regain functional independence.
{"title":"Epilogue","authors":"Walter Glannon","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198813910.003.0007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198813910.003.0007","url":null,"abstract":"This section summarizes the main neuroscientific and philosophical issues regarding neural prosthetics. It comments on the therapeutic potential of more and less invasive systems to restore sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. It also speculates on future neural prosthetics and how they might change our view of the brain–mind relation and our concept of ourselves as humans. The current state of neural prosthetics does not indicate that machines and implants control the thought and behaviour of people to whom they are connected or in whom they are implanted. There is no loss of control but shared control between these artificial systems and the people who use them. The rehabilitative and restorative capacity of neural prosthetics enable those with neurological or physical disabilities to acquire or regain functional independence.","PeriodicalId":338850,"journal":{"name":"Neural Prosthetics","volume":"43 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115614053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-08-31DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198813910.003.0004
W. Glannon
This chapter explores how a brain–computer interface (BCI) could allow some patients with locked-in syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or in the minimally conscious state to reliably communicate with others. BCI-mediated communication may enable these patients to clearly express their wishes when they cannot communicate because of motor impairment. Depending on their cognitive capacity for reasoning and decision-making, some patients could use a BCI to express their wishes about life-sustaining treatment and meet criteria of informed consent. Patients who could use a BCI to communicate could decide for themselves whether they want to continue or discontinue artificial nutrition and hydration, ventilation, or other life-sustaining interventions and act in their own best interests. The chapter also discusses how brain-to-brain interfaces may enable communication between brains and minds in a social network of collaborative problem-solving in visuomotor and cognitive tasks.
{"title":"Brain–Computer and Brain-to-Brain Interfaces for Communication","authors":"W. Glannon","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198813910.003.0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198813910.003.0004","url":null,"abstract":"This chapter explores how a brain–computer interface (BCI) could allow some patients with locked-in syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or in the minimally conscious state to reliably communicate with others. BCI-mediated communication may enable these patients to clearly express their wishes when they cannot communicate because of motor impairment. Depending on their cognitive capacity for reasoning and decision-making, some patients could use a BCI to express their wishes about life-sustaining treatment and meet criteria of informed consent. Patients who could use a BCI to communicate could decide for themselves whether they want to continue or discontinue artificial nutrition and hydration, ventilation, or other life-sustaining interventions and act in their own best interests. The chapter also discusses how brain-to-brain interfaces may enable communication between brains and minds in a social network of collaborative problem-solving in visuomotor and cognitive tasks.","PeriodicalId":338850,"journal":{"name":"Neural Prosthetics","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133235086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}