The mind switch environmental control system: remote hands free control for the severely disabled

Recent research by the authors has resulted in the development of an environmental control system (ECS) that enables severely disabled persons to activate devices using their brain signals. This ECS has been called the Mind Switch and its effectiveness is based on alpha wave amplitude increases in response to reduced visual input (brief eye closure). Following extensive studies of the electroencephalograph (EEG) patterns of non-disabled and disabled people, as well as numerous trials of its efficacy, a third generation prototype has now been developed that is capable of being employed in the home environment. This paper describes in some detail this prototype. The information from this research will be used to optimize ECS technology designed for severely disabled persons to activate, quickly and remotely, electrical devices using their brain signals.