Psychophysiological Interfaces

Interaction between human and machine usually is based on direct information flow. The User sends commands to the machine and receives feedback. The online analyses of psycho-physiological parameters can be utilized to enhance this interplay.

The machine could adapt to the actual workload of the user, automatically correct errors within the system which are detected by the user or react on emotional or intentional states, without direct information from the user.

Psycho-physiological interfaces utilize different sensors to collect information from the user. Therefore, the heartbeat will be recorded via electroencephalogram (ECG), Eye movements will be observed by elecrooculogram (EOG) and eytracking, muscle tension could be detected by electromyogram (EMG) and skin conductance is measured by electro dermal activity (EDA). Activity of the user’s brain usually will be recorded in an electroencephalogram (EEG).

The latter is the basis for a special type of psycho-physiological interface, the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). BCIs are systems which are able to extract information directly from the human brain – which allows for sending commands to technical systems with the speed of thoughts. Additionally, they allow access to information about the user, which hardly are inferable from the outside.