NeuroSky MW1 Commercial EEG Headset User Manual MindWave Instruction Manual

NeuroSky, Inc. Commercial EEG Headset MindWave Instruction Manual

Users Manual

MindWave Instruction ManualSeptember 10, 2010
e NeuroSky product families consist of hardware andsoftware components for simple integration of this biosensortechnology into consumer and industrial end-applications.All products are designed and manufactured to meet consumerthresholds for quality, pricing, and feature sets. NeuroSkysets itself apart by providing building block componentsolutions that offer friendly synergies with related and complemen-tary technological solutions.NO WARRANTIES: THE NEUROSKY PRODUCT FAMILIESAND RELATED DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED "ASIS" WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTYOF ANY KIND INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABIL-ITY, NONINFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY,INCLUDING PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS OR OTHERWISE,OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NOEVENT SHALL NEUROSKY OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLEFOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUTLIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESSINTERRUPTION, COST OF REPLACEMENT GOODS ORLOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO INFORMATION) ARISING OUTOF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE NEUROSKYPRODUCTS OR DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED, EVENIF NEUROSKY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBIL-ITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. , SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONSMAY NOT APPLY TO YOU BECAUSE SOME JURISDIC-TIONS PROHIBIT THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATIONOF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTALDAMAGES.USAGE OF THE NEUROSKY PRODUCTS IS SUBJECTOF AN END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT.
ContentsIntroduction to the MindWave 4MindWave Product Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4NeuroSky Technology Overview 5Brainwaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5inkGear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5eSense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5eSense Meter - General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6eSense Meter - Technical Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6ATTENTION eSense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7MEDITATION eSense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Setting Up Your MindWave 8Minimum System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Replacing e Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Wireless Adapter Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Wireless Adapter Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Serial Port Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11RF Connection Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Using Your MindWave 13Fitting the MindWave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Software Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Windows XP/Vista . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Brainwave Visualizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15e Adventures of NeuroBoy BCI Technology Demonstration . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Additional Products 16MindSet Development Tools (MDT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16MindSet Research Tools (MRT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Maintenance 17Troubleshooting and Support 18Safety and Regulations 19Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19ISO/IEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19FCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19NCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19September 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.3
Chapter 1Introduction to the MindWaveank you for purchasing NeuroSky's MindWave™. is Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) deviceturns your brainwaves into actions, unlocking new worlds of interactivity. e MindWave reportsthe wearer’s mental state in the form of NeuroSky's proprietary Attention and Meditation eSense™algorithms, along with raw wave and information about the brainwave frequency bands. e Neu-roSky MindWave can be used with supported video games, research software, or a number of otherapplications for an enhanced user experience.For any technical information updates and additional support questions not answered by this docu-ment, please register at the NeuroSky support website at http://support.neurosky.com. We also rec-ommend you join our email list by lling out the form on http://www.neurosky.com to receive generalinformation about NeuroSky, new products announcements, and any technical information updates.MindWave Product Contents• MindWave headset• MindWave Quick Start Guide (printed)• MindWave USB adapter• MindWave BCI Demonstration Software CD, containing:–MindWave Installation Software– PDF documents:* MindWave Instruction Manual* MindWave Quick Start Guide• 1 - AAA batterySeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.4
Chapter 2NeuroSky Technology OverviewBrainwavese last century of neuroscience research has greatly increased our knowledge about the brain andparticularly, the electrical signals emitted by neurons ring in the brain. e patterns and frequenciesof these electrical signals can be measured by placing a sensor on the scalp. e Mind line of headsetproducts contain NeuroSky inkGear™ technology, which measures the analog electrical signals,commonly referred to as brainwaves, and processes them into digital signals to make the measurementsavailable to games and applications. e table below gives a general synopsis of some of the commonly-recognized frequencies that tend to be generated by different types of activity in the brain:Brainwave Type Frequency range Mental states and conditionsDelta 0.1Hz to 3Hz Deep, dreamless sleep, non-REM sleep, unconsciouseta 4Hz to 7Hz Intuitive, creative, recall, fantasy, imaginary, dreamAlpha 8Hz to 12Hz Relaxed, but not drowsy, tranquil, consciousLow Beta 12Hz to 15Hz Formerly SMR, relaxed yet focused, integratedMidrange Beta 16Hz to 20Hz inking, aware of self & surroundingsHigh Beta 21Hz to 30Hz Alertness, agitationThinkGearinkGear is the technology inside every NeuroSky product or partner product that enables a deviceto interface with the wearers’ brainwaves. It includes the sensor that touches the forehead, the contactand reference points located in the ear clip, and the on-board chip that processes all of the data. Boththe raw brainwaves and the eSense Meters (Attention and Meditation) are calculated on the inkGearchip.eSenseeSense™ is a NeuroSky's proprietary algorithm for characterizing mental states. To calculate eSense,the NeuroSky inkGear technology amplies the raw brainwave signal and removes the ambientnoise and muscle movement. e eSense algorithm is then applied to the remaining signal, resultingin the interpreted eSense meter values. Please note that eSense meter values do not describe an exactnumber, but instead describe ranges of activity.September 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.5
Chapter 2 – NeuroSky Technology OvervieweSense Meter - General Informatione eSense meters are a way to show how effectively the user is engaging Attention (similar to con-centration) or Meditation (similar to relaxation).Like exercising an unfamiliar muscle, it may take some time to gain full prociency with each of theeSense™ meters. In many cases, people tend to be better at one eSense than the other when theyrst begin. We recommend trying different tactics until you are successful with one. Once you seea reaction on the screen from your efforts, you will be able to duplicate the action more easily withadditional practice.Generally, Attention can be controlled through a visual focus. Focus on a singular idea. Try to “funnel”your concentration and focus your train of thought towards pushing up the meter. Other suggestionsinclude picking a point on the screen to stare at or imagining the action you are trying to accomplishhappening. For example, look at the Attention eSense meter and imagine the dial moving towardshigher numbers.For Meditation, it typically helps to try to relax yourself. Connect to a sense of peace and calm byclearing your mind of thoughts and distractions. If you are having difficulty engaging Meditation, closeyour eyes, wait a number of seconds, and then open your eyes to see how the meter has responded.If you have trouble at rst in controlling your eSense meter levels, be patient. Try different techniquesand practice. Also be sure to read and try to understand the Technical Description in order to get abetter idea about how eSense actually works under the hood.eSense Meter - Technical DescriptionFor each different type of eSense (i.e. Attention, Meditation), the meter value is reported on a relativeeSense scale of 1 to 100. On this scale, a value between 40 to 60 at any given moment in time is con-sidered “neutral” and is similar in notion to “baselines” that are established in conventional brainwavemeasurement techniques (though the method for determining a inkGear baseline is proprietary andmay differ from conventional brainwaves).A value from 60 to 80 is considered “slightly elevated”, and may be interpreted as levels tending tobe higher than normal (levels of Attention or Meditation that may be higher than normal for a givenperson). Values from 80 to 100 are considered “elevated”, meaning they are strongly indicative ofheightened levels of that eSense.Similarly, on the other end of the scale, a value between 20 to 40 indicates “reduced” levels of theeSense, while a value between 1 to 20 indicates “strongly lowered” levels of the eSense. ese levelsmay indicate states of distraction, agitation, or abnormality, according to the opposite of each eSense.e reason for the somewhat wide ranges for each interpretation is that some parts of the eSensealgorithm are dynamically learning and at times employ some “slow-adaptive” algorithms to adjustto natural uctuations and trends of each user, accounting for and compensating for the fact thatbrainwaves in the human brain are subject to normal ranges of variance and uctuation. is is partof the reason why inkGear sensors are able to operate on a wide range of individuals under anextremely wide range of personal and environmental conditions, while still giving good accuracy andreliability.eSense Meter - General InformationSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.6
Chapter 2 – NeuroSky Technology OverviewATTENTION eSensee eSense Attention meter indicates the intensity of a user's level of mental “focus” or “attention”,such as that which occurs during intense concentration and directed (but stable) mental activity. Itsvalue ranges from 0 to 100. Distractions, wandering thoughts, lack of focus, or anxiety may lower theAttention meter level. See eSense Meter - General Information for details about interpreting eSenselevels in general.MEDITATION eSensee eSense Meditation meter indicates the level of a user's mental “calmness” or “relaxation”. Its valueranges from 0 to 100. Note that Meditation is a measure of a person's mental states, not physical levels,so simply relaxing all the muscles of the body may not immediately result in a heightened Meditationlevel. However, for most people in most normal circumstances, relaxing the body often helps the mindto relax as well. Meditation is related to reduced activity by the active mental processes in the brain.It has long been an observed effect that closing one's eyes turns off the mental activities which processimages from the eyes. So closing the eyes is often an effective method for increasing the Meditationmeter level. Distractions, wandering thoughts, anxiety, agitation, and sensory stimuli may lower theMeditation meter levels. See eSense Meter - General Information for details about interpreting eSenselevels in general.eSense Meter - Technical DescriptionSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.7
Chapter 3Setting Up Your MindWaveSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.8
Chapter 3 – Setting Up Your MindWaveMinimum System RequirementsPCOperating system Windows XP/Vista/7Processor Core2Duo or greaterMemory 1GBHard disk 200MBUSB An available USB portReplacing The BatteryTo install or replace the battery, slide open the battery cover. Remove any existing battery within andreplace with a new AAA battery.PowerTo power on the MindWave, slide the switch to the ON position. Power off the MindWave by slidingthe switch to the OFF position.Minimum System RequirementsSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.9
Chapter 3 – Setting Up Your MindWaveWireless Adapter SetupWireless Adapter InstallationImportant: Please install the MindWave software before inserting the MindWave wireless adapter.Important: You must properly install the supplied wireless adapter and its drivers in order to use theMindWave.Windows1. Insert the supplied MindWave Disc into your disc drive.2. Run the MindWave-Setup.exe installer if prompted or double-click on MindWave-Setup.exe3. Follow the instructions on the installer.4. Once the installer nishes, you may need to reboot.5. Insert the MindWave wireless adapter.6. Run the MindWave Manager program.7. Click Pair your MindWave…8. Select Automatically scan for MindWaves in range (recommended) and click Continue9. e MindWave Manager will scan for your MindWave. If found, the MindWave will displayyour MindWave's ID.10. If your MindWave's ID is correct, click Yes.11. Your MindWave is now paired.Note: e MindWave's ID may be found under the battery door.Wireless Adapter SetupSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.10
Chapter 3 – Setting Up Your MindWaveSerial Port NameMany applications will ask for you to enter the dongle's serial COM port name or number in order forit to nd and connect to the RF dongle and get brainwave data. To nd out which Windows COMport the RF dongle is assigned to, follow the instructions below:WindowsIn Windows, open the Control Panel !System !Hardware tab !Device Manager !Ports. eport will appear as "MindWave USB Adapter (COM NN)" where NN is your COM port number.Serial Port NameSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.11
Chapter 3 – Setting Up Your MindWaveRF Connection TroubleshootingCommon causes for RF pairing failures and possible solutions:Problem Cause SolutionPairing failed Low battery Replace the AAA battery inthe MindWave with a newbatteryStrong radio interference Extend the RF dongle usingthe USB extension cable andplace it near the headset.Light on dongle does notturn from red to blueMindWave is not turned on Turn the MindWave onLight on the dongle doesnot return to red afterturning off the Mind-WaveIt will take some time for the dongleto turn red after turning off all Mind-WavesNormal operationLight on Wave headsetdoes not turn from red toblueDongle is not plugged in Plug in the RF DongleDongle drivers are not installed Install the RF DongledriversDongle has already paired with a Wave(dongle blue light)Unplug the RF Dongle fromyour computer, and thenplug it back inStrong radio interference Extend the RF dongle usingthe USB extension cable andplace it near the headset.RF Connection TroubleshootingSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.12
Chapter 4Using Your MindWaveis chapter walks you through tting the MindWave and installation of the included MindWavesoftware on your computer. Be sure to rst connect and pair the headset as described in the previouschapter rst.Fitting the MindWavee MindWave is more than your average headset. It has the ability to use your brainwaves for excitingnew applications.Important: In order to take full advantage of these functions and features of the MindWave, theMindWave must be properly worn.1. Orient the MindWave with the Forehead Sensor Arm on your left hand side. Rotate the sensorarm from its base by about 90 degrees. It can be rotated slightly more if necessary to get propert and comfort.2. e overhead band of the MindWave is adjustable and can be extended to t various sizes. Puton the MindWave. If the sensor does not make contact with the forehead or if the t is not com-fortable, remove the MindWave to readjust the overhead band and the Forehead Sensor Arm.e Forehead Sensor Arm is exible and should arch inwards.September 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.13
Chapter 4 – Using Your MindWave3. Allow the ear hoop to wrap around the back of your left ear and clip the earclip onto yourearlobe.4. Make sure the two metal contacts on the inside of both sides of the earclip make skin-contactwith your earlobe or ear. Move any hair or obstructions out of the way. Readjust the earclip asnecessary to make proper contact with your ear.5. Adjust the Forehead Sensor Arm of the headset so that the Forehead Sensor makes contact withyour forehead. is sensor must maintain contact in order to properly measure your brainwaves.e sensor should be comfortable, yet stay in position. Keep hair away from the sensor – thesensor must be able to directly contact the skin at all times.6. is is how the MindWave should look when properly worn. During usage, if you are not re-ceiving a signal, repeat the steps above to make minor adjustments to ensure the sensor andcontacts have proper skin contact.Fitting the MindWaveSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.14
Chapter 4 – Using Your MindWaveSoftware InstallationWindows XP/Vista1. Insert the MindWave BCI Demonstration Software CD into the CD drive of your computer.2. e CD will automatically bring up the Auto-Installer window. If it does not, execute theAutoRun.exe program from the disc.3. An on-screen menu will come up that directs you to install each of the included software ap-plications. Click on the buttons of the software packages you would like to install. Folderscontaining the setup les will be opened. Double click on the setup les to install.4. Documentation for each software application is also available from the on-screen menu.Brainwave Visualizere Brainwave Visualizer is a colorful, interactive application controlled by your brain that shows youa graphical representation of your brain’s activity. e Brainwave Visualizer includes the BrainwaveVisualization, Brainwave Power Spectrum Graph, and the eSense Attention and Meditation meters.e on-screen shapes morph and change color depending on your state of mind. Please refer to theincluded Brainwave Visualizer Manual for more details.The Adventures of NeuroBoy BCI Technology DemonstrationAs NeuroBoy™, use your special telekinetic powers to push, pull, lift, or burn objects. Different objectsin the world weigh different amounts, so you will need to hone your mental muscle to pick up theheavier items.e game provides a 3rd-person environment. is demo requires a more powerful computer, butyou may scale down the graphics to meet your computer’s specications. Please refer to the includedmanual for more details.Software InstallationSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.15
Chapter 5Additional ProductsTo nd new and exciting ways to unlock the full potential of you MindWave, visit the NeuroSky Storefor additional software and applications: http://store.neurosky.comMindSet Development Tools (MDT)e NeuroSky MindSet Development Tools (MDT) is available for free from the NeuroSky Store,and provides all the tools and resources necessary to create and publish games and applications capableof taking advantage of the exciting new Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology of NeuroSky’sMindSet or MindWave headset. e MDT includes drivers, sample code, and documentation de-scribing how to develop applications for several software platforms, including PC, Symbian, and evenlower level platforms such as microcontrollers like the Arduino™.Languages directly supported include C/C++, C#, Java (through JNI), and J2ME. In addition, theMDT provides the inkGear Connector (TGC), a daemon-like software that runs on Windows orMac OS X, and opens a TCP port on the user's local computer so that applications can connect toit and retrieve MindSet or MindWave data. As long as the TGC is running on one of the supportedplatforms and connected to a MindSet, then any application written in any language that can com-municate through TCP sockets (such as Flash's ActionScript3 and scripting languages in general) canconnect to the TGC to read data from the MindSet.Create exciting new games that challenge people to use the power of their mind or retrot your existinggames with a new dimension of brainwave control.e MindSet Development Tools (MDT) are available for free and can be downloaded from the Neu-roSky Store at http://store.neurosky.com.MindSet Research Tools (MRT)e NeuroSky MindSet Research Tools (MRT) enable researchers to use the MindWave as a datacollection device. Using the cost effective and user-friendly features of MindWave in conjunctionwith the MRT allows researchers to broaden the scope of their research and to make efficient use ofresources.e MRT includes the NeuroView software, which make it easy to connect, graph, view, and recordMindSet or MindWave data in real time. e MRT also includes the more advanced NeuroSky-Lab MATLAB module, which adds the ability to dene custom MATLAB scripts and functions forcustomized processing and analysis of MindSet or MindWave data.For more information on the uses and capabilities of the MindSet Research Tools, please visit:http://store.neurosky.com/.September 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.16
Chapter 6Maintenance• Clean the MindWave's sensor and ear contacts with alcohol-wipes (alcohol-based cleaner) peri-odically to ensure the best signal quality. Use a soft cloth to clean the MindWave casing• For travel and storage, gently push the sensor arm up until it is aligned with the top of the head-set. Be careful not to overextend the maximum range of the boom by adjusting it beyond thenatural stopping point• Do not expose the MindWave to temperatures above 140°F (60°C)• Dropping or throwing the MindWave may damage the MindWaveSeptember 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.17
Chapter 7Troubleshooting and Supporte MindWave does not turn on.e battery might be low. Please try replacing the battery and try again.I am having issues with my wireless RF connection.Please use the RF Dongle included with the MindWave, and then be sure to carefully follow theinstructions under Setting Up Your MindSet, paying particular attention to RF Dongle Setup,RF Mind-Wave Pairing, and Serial Port Name. en please check if your issue has been addressed in the RFConnection Troubleshooting section.Also if you have a desktop computer, please use a usb extension cable to pull the RF dongle to a visiblelocation.e signal quality status is consistently poor (fewer than three bars).Check that the forehead sensor and each clip contacts are making good contact with the skin. Makesure to remove all obstructions including hair and jewelry.It usually takes three or four seconds for the headset to validate the signal after holding still. Also makecertain to keep the sensor and contacts clean.e eSense meters do not move.Verify that the RF is paired correctly. You can use the Brainwave Visualizer to verify if the headset istransmitting. Select "Show data output" from the menu. If the numbers are changing, that means theheadset is transmitting data to the PC.Allow the eSense meters to go through a few moments to go through initialization before troubleshoot-ing. If the meters do not move after 10 seconds, make sure the sensor rests on the forehead and thecontacts are on the left ear. e sensor and contacts should make rm and consistent contact withyour skin.I don't seem to be able to control the eSense™ meters.Like exercising an unfamiliar muscle, it may take some time to gain full prociency with the eSense™meters. First, be sure you understand how the eSense meters work and what they are measuring.Generally, we recommend engaging Attention by concentrating and Meditation by relaxing. Mostimportantly, be sure you have read the detailed explanation of eSense previously described in theeSense™ sections.I still have a problem, or my problem is not covered by this Troubleshooting section.For further technical support, please contact NeuroSky Support at http://support.neurosky.com oremail mailto:support@neurosky.com.September 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.18
Chapter 8Safety and RegulationsOperating ConditionsSafety• Batteries shall not be exposed to excessive heat such as sunshine, re, or the like.ISO/IECISO/IEC Guide 37 [17].• No naked ame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus;• Battery disposal: is product requires the use of an AAA battery. AAA batteries commonlyavailable in the market contains hazardous waste and should be properly disposed of. Contactyour local government for disposal or recycling practices in your area.FCCis device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two con-ditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any inter-ference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.Changes or modications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could voidthe user's authority to operate the equipment.NCCe use of this device must comply with the following NCC requirements:������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������������ ����������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������September 10, 2010 | © 2009 NeuroSky, Inc. All Rights Reserved.19•• Dongle: 5V / 60mA maximum average current• Operating temperature: 0-35CHeadset: 1.5V / 95 mA maximum average current

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