Brain-Machine Interfaces: The Perception-Action Closed Loop

A brain-machine interface (BMI) is about transforming neural activity into action and sensation into perception (Figure 1). In a BMI system, neural signals recorded from the brain are fed into a decoding algorithm that translates these signals into motor outputs to control a variety of practical devices for motor-disabled people [1]-[5]. Feedback from the prosthetic device, conveyed to the user either via normal sensory pathways or directly through brain stimulation, establishes a closed control loop.