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BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACE HACKATHON AT IEEE SMC 2018

October 7-8, 2018 at Seagaia Convention Center
in Miyazaki, Japan

Waterfall in Miyazaki Prefecture in Japan, photo by Tanaka Juuyoh, CC0

#description "description"

IEEE SMC BCI HACKATHON

Brain Hackathons are brainstorming and collaborative marathons designed to rapidly produce working prototypes. At IEEE SMC, brain hackathons bring developers, technologists, engineers, students, artists, and scientists together in teams of 5 participants each over 2 days to cram and build solutions that they can present. Hence, the Brain Hackathon provides an environment for innovation and entrepreneurship. By putting creative minds from multiple disciplines together for a short period of time, we have the opportunity to discover and uncover possibilities for using BCI-related hardware and software not readily thought of. Hacks and innovation developed from Brain Hackathons have great potential for commercialization. Finally, Brain Hackathons are also designed to be a learning experience for everyone.

There are several predefined projects at the hackathon, which the participants can choose to work on. Below, the projects are described in detail including hard- and software specifications as well as the number of possible participants for each project. Motor imagery and EP based systems are mostly used to control the applications. Specific hardware for the projects will be provided, however, software should already be installed on your personal laptop before you come to the hackathon.

Who can participate?

Anyone can participate who has interests in BMI, BCI, robotics, AR, VR, machine learning, computing, sensors, human-machine interface systems, control, signal processing, big data, haptics, rehabilitation, and similar areas. One does not have to be a BMI expert to participate on a team! Interdisciplinary teams with a combination of BMI and non-BMI skills are often successful in building solutions and producing working prototypes. Participation, food and drinks are free, registration for the IEEE SMC 2018 Conference is not required.

Can I submit a different project?

Professional teams can also participate to develop applications during the Hackathon to demonstrate full potential of some of the sponsored hardware/software. If you are looking for team members, your project will be included in the table plan below where people can apply for it. Submit your project to contact@br41n.io.

Can students compete among each other?

Participating in the IEEE SMC Brain Hackathon Student Competition gives students the chance to win a seat on a team in the IEEE SMC 2018 Brain-Computer Interface Hackathon. Application details will be defined soon.

What's in there for me?

Be creative, think outside the box. The Hackathon is fun and gets you to network and collaborate with other Geeks. Of course, there will be prizes for the best programming and artistic projects each. The best Hackathon projects will be awarded with cash prizes:

1^st BR41N.IO Prize: $ 300
2^nd BR41N.IO Prize: $ 200
3^rd BR41N.IO Prize: $ 100
BR41N.IO SfN Prize: $ 2,000 (5 tickets for SfN 2018)
IEEE Brain Prize: $ 1,200 and 1 ticket with poster session for IEEE Brain Workshop on Advanced NeuroTechnologies
IEEE SMC Prize: $ 1,000
neumo Prize: $ 500
neumo Prize: $ 500
Intheon Prize: $ 500

#Sponsors "Sponsors"

BR41N.IO SPONSORS

#schedule "schedule"

HACKATHON SCHEDULE

Location: Room Fountain 2F

Sunday, 2018/10/07

7:30–8:00	Coffee and Breakfast
8:00–10:00	Talk & Demo: An overview of BCI approaches and how to use BCI technology for communication, motor rehabilitation and cognitive assessment Christoph Guger, PhD BR41N.IO Organizer, g.tec neurotechnology GmbH, AT
10:00–11:00	Talk: Multisensory BCIs in applications for robotics, VR/AR, art and dementia monitoring Tomek Rutkowski, PhD BCI Lab, University of Tokyo, JP
11:00–11:30	Press conference: Brain Hackathon with demonstrations Michael Smith, PhD, IEEE SMC BMI Workshop Chair, IEEE Brain Initiative, US Kyousuke Kamada, MD, Asahikawa Medical University Hospital, JP Tadahiko Murata, PhD, Kansai University, IEEE SMC 2018 Program Chair, JP Christoph Guger, PhD, BR41N.IO Organizer, g.tec neurotechnology GmbH, AT Tiago H. Falk, PhD, INRS-EMT, CA
11:30–12:00	Coffee and Food
12:00–12:15	Opening & Welcome Michael Smith and Christoph Guger
12:15–13:45	Talk: Current and future applications of BCI and how to run a real-time BCI application Christoph Guger
13:45–14:00	How to use LSL, BCILAB and NeuroPype Tim Mullen, Intheon
14:00–14:30	Group formation
14:00	START: BRAIN HACKATHON
17:00–17:30	Talk: Non-invasive and invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces for medical applications and research projects Kyousuke Kamada, MD
17:30–18:00	Hacking
18:00–19:00	Coffee and Food
19:00–24:00	Hacking

Monday, 2018/10/08

00:00–10:00	Hacking
10:00–10:30	Talk: BCIs for labeling our environment Paul Sajda, PhD, Columbia University, USA
10:30–12:00	Hacking
12:00–13:00	Coffee and Lunch
13:00–14:00	Hacking
14:00	END: BRAIN HACKATHON
14:00-16:00	Project presentations
16:30–17:00	Meeting Hackathon Jury
17:00–17:30	Brain Hackathon Award Ceremony

#jury "jury"

HACKATHON JURY

Christoph Guger (AT)

g.tec neurotechnology GmbH, Austria

Michael Smith (US)

University of California, Berkeley

Tiago H. Falk (CA)

INRS-EMT

Kyousuke Kamada (JP)

Asahikawa University Japan

Takeshi Ogawa (JP)

ATR, Japan

Kojiro Matsushita (JP)

Gifu University, Japan

Tim Mullen (US)

Intheon

BCI PRINCIPLES

Brain-computer interfaces are realized by 4 different principles:

slow waves

steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP)

motor imagery (MI)

evoked potentials (EP)

In the BR41N.IO Hackathon Series, motor imagery and EP based systems
are mostly used to control the applications:

In the case of the motor imagery application, participants have to imagine e.g. left or right hand movement to produce an event-related desynchronization over the sensorimotor cortex. This is basically an amplitude change of the alpha and beta regions of the EEG.

In the case of EPs, the BCI system is showing different flashing icons and the user has to attend to the icon he wants to select. When the icon flashes on the computer screen, than a P300 wave is produced in the brain and the BCI system is able to detect it.

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#projects "projects"

HACKING PROJECTS

‌ intendiX/extendiX Smart Home

The unicorn is supported by the P300 based spelling application intendiX. It is possible to control home devices such as lamps, radios or television. Watch the intendiX/extendiX Smart Home video.

soft-/hardware specifications: unicorn, everyday objects (bring your own objects)
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
skills: Basic programming skills (Matlab, Simulink)

‌ Orthosis Control

It is possible to control a 3D printed orthosis using a unicorn amplifier with motor imagery. It is possible to move an orthosis by thinking about left or right hand motion. Watch the Orthosis Control video.

soft-/hardware specifications: g.USBamp, orthesis
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
Skills: Basic programming skills (Matlab, Simulink)

‌ FES Control

It is possible to control a FES using a unicorn amplifier with motor imagery. It is possible to move a FES by thinking about left or right hand motion.

soft-/hardware specifications: unicorn, FES
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
skills: Basic programming skills (Matlab, Simulink)

‌ Unity Games

It is possible to control a unity based games.

soft-/hardware specifications: g.Nautilus
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
Skills: Basic programming skills (Matlab, Simulink), Basic graphics programming with Unity

‌‌ Sphero SPRK Control

The unicorn is supported by the P300 based spelling application intendiX. It is possible to controll a robotic ball called Sphero with intendiX. Watch the Sphero Control video.

soft-/hardware specifications: unicorn, Sphero
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
skills: Basic programming skills (C#)

‌‌ Flight Control

The unicorn is supported by the P300 based spelling application intendiX. It is possible to move a drone with intendiX.

soft-/hardware specifications: unicorn, drone
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
skills: Basic programming skills (Java)

‌ fNIRS and EEG Control

The team can use fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy) and EEG simultaneously to control BCI applications.

soft-/hardware specifications: g.Nautilus fNIRS
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
skills: Basic programming skills (Matlab, Simulink)

‌ Your Hacking Project

You are invited to create your own programming project for this hackathon. You'll have all the BCI headsets or you bring your own BCI to design and program your own fully functional headset.

soft-/hardware specifications: tbd
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
skills: Basic programming skills

‌ Dream Painting

To use the dream painting app, the user is wearing an unicorn headset while sleeping. When he wakes up, he will get an image created according to his EEG signals.

soft-/hardware specifications: g.USBamp
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
skills: Basic programming skills (Matlab, Simulink)

‌ Camera

It is possible to record videos, while recording EEG with an unicorn amplifier.

soft-/hardware specifications: unicorn, cameras
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
skills: Basic programming skills (Matlab, Simulink)

‌ Connect intendiX w/ Social Media

The unicorn amplifier is supported by the P300 based spelling application intendiX. When connected to Twitter or Facebook, status updated can be written. Watch the intendiX Social Media video.

soft-/hardware specifications: unicorn
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
skills: Basic programming skills (Matlab, Simulink)

ARTISTIC PROJECTS

‌ intendiX Painting

Create images according to your EEG signals.

soft-/hardware specifications: unicorn
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group

‌ Use intendiX for Social Media

Use the P300 based spelling application intendiX to update your status on Twitter or Facebook. Watch the intendiX Social Media video.

soft-/hardware specifications: unicorn
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group

‌ Design Headsets Using 3D Printing

Expand your EEG Headset with your own 3d printed parts. Let them move, light, hold things or simply look nice. Watch the 3D Headset Design video.

soft-/hardware specifications: 3D printer, 3D freeware
participants: 1 group, 3-5 people per group
Skills: Basic CAD

‌ Design Headsets Using Sewing Machines

Expand your EEG Headset with a hat designed to keep all electrodes in their intended position.

soft-/hardware specifications: sewing machines and material
participants: 5 people

#Winners "Winners"

THAT WAS MIYAZAKI 2018. THANK YOU!

IEEE BRAIN WINNER
1. BR41N.IO WINNER

Team "BR41NIO Bros."

The team designed a BCI game where Player 1 uses a keyboard to control the game and Player 2 uses a BCI to remove obstacles for Player 1.

Team members: Teruto Endo, Shogo Hirai, Quentin Few, Thomas James Tiam-Lee, Keigo Yabuki, Kaoru Sumi, Abdelkader Belkacem

Image Caption

2. BR41N.IO WINNER

Team "Three hours challenge"

The team extracted information from EEG and fNIRS to control BCI systems.

Team member: Soichiro Yamauchi, Kimihiko Iwata

Image Caption

3. BR41N.IO WINNER

Team "GRIP Aperture"

This team used EEG and fNIRS to decode how much force a person is using when holding a ball.

Team members: Jeffrey Mock, John Myers

IEEE SMC WINNER

Team "Dream Painting"

The team implemented signal processing methods that extracted different frequency bands and compared several classifiers for optimal performance in order to create paintings.

Team members: Ashhar Karalikkadan, Zaid Al Yasseri, Jane Zhen Liang