Esta tese teve como objetivo apresentar o processo de construção, aplicação e avaliação de uma ferramenta para o ensino da neuroanatomia, acessível a partir de computadores pessoais, imersiva, interativa, foto-realística e que permita visão tridimensional e estereoscópica. Quarenta encéfalos frescos foram obtidos no Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos de São Paulo (SVO-SP) e submetidos às técnicas de fixação, conservação, injeção vascular, coloração de substância cinzenta, dissecação de fibras brancas, terebintina e clareamento ósseo, conforme sua finalidade, no laboratório de Técnica Cirúrgica e Cirurgia Experimental da Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Imagens das áreas de interesse foram capturadas utilizando-se uma plataforma giratória manual construída para este fim. As imagens foram processadas com softwares comercialmente disponíveis (Photoshop CS5; Stereo Photo Maker;VRWorx2.6 para Windows) em formato não linear, interativo, tridimensional e estereoscópico, e armazenadas em um banco de 5.337 imagens finais. O recurso didático foi aplicado a 84 graduandos do curso de medicina, divididos em três grupos: convencional (grupo1), interativo não estereoscópico (grupo2) e interativo estereoscópico (grupo3), cujas médias na avaliação do conhecimento prévio não diferiram estatisticamente entre si (P > 0,05). A ferramenta foi avaliada através de uma prova teórica e prática. Verificou-se que os Grupos 2 e 3 apresentaram as maiores médias e diferiram estatisticamente do Grupo 1 (P < 0,05); o Grupo 2 não diferiu estatisticamente do Grupo 3 (p > 0,05), mostrando resultado do treinamento semelhante na prova teórica. Observando-se os Tamanhos do Efeito, verificou-se que esses foram de grande magnitude, indicando uma efetividade do treinamento dos alunos. Os resultados da ANOVA mostraram que existe diferença significativa (P < 0,05) entre as médias dos grupos, e por meio do teste de Tukey observou-se que existe diferença estatística entre o Grupo 1 e os demais (P < 0,05). Na prova prática pode-se observar, que de modo semelhante à prova teórica, não houve diferença estatística entre os Grupos 2 e 3. Os autores concluem que o método apresentado propiciou ganho de conhecimento e rendimento pedagógico significativamente superior quando comparado com o tradicional / This thesis aims to show the process of the construction, implementation and evaluation of a tool for teaching neuroanatomy. The tool presented is accessible from personal computers, immersive, interactive, and allows photorealistic three-dimensional and stereoscopic vision. Forty fresh brains were obtained from the São Paulo Department of Death Records (SP-DDR- Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos de São Paulo (SVO-SP)) and subjected to fixation, conservation, vascular injection, staining of gray matter, white fiber dissection, turpentine and bleaching bone techniques, as needed, at the Surgical Technique and Experimental Surgery Laboratory, University of São Paulo (Laboratório de Técnica Cirúrgica e Cirurgia Experimental da Universidade de São Paulo- USP). Images of areas of interest were captured using a manual turntable built for this purpose. The images were processed with commercially available software (Photoshop CS5; Stereo Photo Maker; VRWorx2.6 for Windows) non-linear format, interactive, three-dimensional stereoscopic and stored in a database of 5337 final images. The teaching resource was applied to 84 undergraduate medical students, divided into three groups: conventional (group 1), interactive non-stereoscopic (group 2) and interactive stereoscopic (group 3). Averages on the assessment of prior knowledge did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) among groups. The tool was evaluated through a written theory test and a lab practical. Groups 2 and 3 showed the highest averages and differed significantly from Group 1 (P < 0.05), Group 2 did not differ statistically from Group 3 (p > 0.05), revealing a result of similar training on the written theory test. Observing the Effect Sizes, it was found that those were of great magnitude, indicating student training effectiveness. ANOVA results showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between group means, and the Tukey test showed statistical difference between Group 1 and the others (P < 0.05). On the lab pratical, it may be noted that similarly to the written theory test, no statistical difference between Groups 2 and 3 were found. The authors conclude that the tool presented provided a gain of knowledge for students and yielded significantly higher leaning when compared with traditional teaching resources

Die Medizintechnik Tiefe-Hirnstimulation ist nicht nur als naturwissenschaftlich-technisches Produkt zu sehen, sondern vor allem auch als kultur-technische Leistung mit historischen Wurzeln. Dieserart Schnittstellenhandlungen nehmen einen festen Platz in der Medizingeschichte ein und sind nicht losgelöst von dieser zu bestimmen. Ein- und zugreifende Praktiken wie Trepanationen und Schädelkulte sind vielfältig verankert und offenbaren einen menschheitsalten Wunsch nach Einflussnahme und Bemächtigung. Hierüber lässt sich der Mensch als verknüpf-, einstell- und gestaltbare Entität im Rahmen 'eutoper' Welt- und Technikbilder sowie deterministischer Menschenbilder darstellen. Mit der Integration aktiver, technischer Elemente in den menschlichen Körper verschieben wir die Grenzverläufe zwischen biologischen und artifiziellen Entitäten. Sowohl die Hardware-Software-Relationen als auch die Körper-Geist-Relationen unterliegen dabei Verknüpfungs- und Gestaltungsprozessen. Aus der Interaktion zwischen menschlichen und nicht-menschlichen Handlungsteilnehmern resultieren neuartige Wechselbeziehungen, welche unter Zuhilfenahme der Embodiment- und Embedded-Theorie nachgezeichnet werden. Den schwerwiegenden Aus- und Nebenwirkungen dieser Interkation wird mit einem empirischen Fallbeispiel nahegekommen. Dass diese Entwicklung hin zu einer konfigurierenden Gestaltungskultur risikobehaftet ist, wird unter Zuhilfenahme des Terminus 'Experimentalsystem' dargelegt. Dabei ist festzuhalten, dass die Tiefe-Hirnstimulation nicht trotz sondern wegen experimenteller Faktoren erfolgreich und faszinierend ist. Neurostimulationen in erster Linie als Konzept zu begreifen bedeutet, den Fokus auf kulturelle Anschichten und Handlungen zu lenken. In welchem Ausmaß wir zu ein- und zugreifenden Gestaltungen unserer Selbst bereit sind, hängt in letzter Konsequenz an unserem menschlichen Selbstverständnis. / Medical technology deep brain stimulation is not only a scientific and technical product, but also a cultural and technical achievement with historical roots. This kind of interface actions occupy a firm place in medical history and cannot be determined separately from it. Interfering practices such as trepanations and cults of the skull are rooted in many different ways and reveal an ancient human desire for influence and empowerment. In this way, man can be represented as a connectable, adjustable and configurable entity within the framework of 'eutoper' world and technology images as well as deterministic human images. By integrating active technical elements into the human body, we are shifting the boundaries between biological and artificial entities. Both the hardware-software-relations as well as the body-spirit-relations are subject to connection and design processes. The interaction between human and non-human action participants results in novel interrelationships, which are traced with the aid of the Embodiment and Embedded Theory. The serious side effects of this interaction are approached with an empirical case study. The fact that this development towards a configuring design culture entails risk is explained with the help of the term 'experimental system'. It should be noted that deep brain stimulation is successful and fascinating not despite but because of experimental factors. Understanding neurostimulation primarily as a concept means focusing on cultural strata and actions. The extent to which we are prepared to embrace and intervene in shaping ourselves depends ultimately on our human self-conception.

L’activité de chantier se caractérise par un mode de production in situ. Dès lors, nombreux sont les dysfonctionnements qui peuvent apparaître. La coordination du chantier repose sur un mélange subtil entre interactions implicites et explicites, où l’organisation prend de multiples configurations (hiérarchique, adhocratique ou transversale), et où la qualité du processus collectif repose sur l’autonomie et le sens des responsabilités de chacun des intervenants. Nous faisons l’hypothèse qu’un tel contexte est largement fondé sur la notion de confiance, car celle-ci a la capacité de réduire la perception du risque et de permettre l’action dans un environnement incertain. En conséquence, nous suggérons un rapprochement entre les outils d’assistance à la coordination et la notion de confiance, et nous proposons une nouvelle approche du pilotage de l’activité collective à partir de la représentation de la confiance. Ce travail de doctorat se structure autour de la notion de « confiance dans le bon déroulement de l’activité ». Notre méthode consiste d’abord en l’identification des divers critères de confiance, consolidés par une étude de terrain. Puis, nous établissons un modèle mathématique destiné à évaluer cette confiance à partir des informations issues d’un contexte de coopération. Sur base de ces éléments, s’en suit la proposition d’un prototype dénommé Bat’iTrust. La navigation au sein de ce prototype est guidée par un tableau de bord centré sur le concept de confiance. Enfin, la validation de cette proposition repose sur des enquêtes et une phase d’expérimentation qui nous ont permis de confronter nos résultats à des sujets expérimentaux représentatifs du domaine / The building construction is an “on-site” production activity. Therefore numerous dysfunctions can appear during the activity. The coordination of building construction depends on a subtle combination between explicit vs. implicit interactions, where organization takes various forms (i.e. hierarchic, adhocratic and transversal). Quality of the collective process is thus largely dependent on autonomy capability and responsibility sharing of each of the involved actors. Our hypothesis is that such a collective context is mainly based on the notion of trust. Indeed trust has the capability to reduce the perception of risk and to enable action in uncertain environments. Consequently, we suggest applying trust notion to the issue of design of cooperation support tools, towards a new vision of collective activity management based on trust representation. This Ph.D. research introduces the notion of “trust in the good progress of the activity”. Our methodology consists firstly in identifying the various trust criterions that we validate through a terrain survey. Secondly we establish a mathematical model aiming at evaluating trust level based on cooperation context information. Then the proposition suggests a prototype tool, called Bat’iTrust. User-navigation inside the prototype is guided by a dashboard view centred on the trust concept. Finally the validation is assessed through both surveys and an experimentation stage. These ones allow us to confront our results to experimenters subjects representative of the construction domain

Esta tese teve como objetivo apresentar o processo de construção, aplicação e avaliação de uma ferramenta para o ensino da neuroanatomia, acessível a partir de computadores pessoais, imersiva, interativa, foto-realística e que permita visão tridimensional e estereoscópica. Quarenta encéfalos frescos foram obtidos no Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos de São Paulo (SVO-SP) e submetidos às técnicas de fixação, conservação, injeção vascular, coloração de substância cinzenta, dissecação de fibras brancas, terebintina e clareamento ósseo, conforme sua finalidade, no laboratório de Técnica Cirúrgica e Cirurgia Experimental da Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Imagens das áreas de interesse foram capturadas utilizando-se uma plataforma giratória manual construída para este fim. As imagens foram processadas com softwares comercialmente disponíveis (Photoshop CS5; Stereo Photo Maker;VRWorx2.6 para Windows) em formato não linear, interativo, tridimensional e estereoscópico, e armazenadas em um banco de 5.337 imagens finais. O recurso didático foi aplicado a 84 graduandos do curso de medicina, divididos em três grupos: convencional (grupo1), interativo não estereoscópico (grupo2) e interativo estereoscópico (grupo3), cujas médias na avaliação do conhecimento prévio não diferiram estatisticamente entre si (P > 0,05). A ferramenta foi avaliada através de uma prova teórica e prática. Verificou-se que os Grupos 2 e 3 apresentaram as maiores médias e diferiram estatisticamente do Grupo 1 (P < 0,05); o Grupo 2 não diferiu estatisticamente do Grupo 3 (p > 0,05), mostrando resultado do treinamento semelhante na prova teórica. Observando-se os Tamanhos do Efeito, verificou-se que esses foram de grande magnitude, indicando uma efetividade do treinamento dos alunos. Os resultados da ANOVA mostraram que existe diferença significativa (P < 0,05) entre as médias dos grupos, e por meio do teste de Tukey observou-se que existe diferença estatística entre o Grupo 1 e os demais (P < 0,05). Na prova prática pode-se observar, que de modo semelhante à prova teórica, não houve diferença estatística entre os Grupos 2 e 3. Os autores concluem que o método apresentado propiciou ganho de conhecimento e rendimento pedagógico significativamente superior quando comparado com o tradicional / This thesis aims to show the process of the construction, implementation and evaluation of a tool for teaching neuroanatomy. The tool presented is accessible from personal computers, immersive, interactive, and allows photorealistic three-dimensional and stereoscopic vision. Forty fresh brains were obtained from the São Paulo Department of Death Records (SP-DDR- Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos de São Paulo (SVO-SP)) and subjected to fixation, conservation, vascular injection, staining of gray matter, white fiber dissection, turpentine and bleaching bone techniques, as needed, at the Surgical Technique and Experimental Surgery Laboratory, University of São Paulo (Laboratório de Técnica Cirúrgica e Cirurgia Experimental da Universidade de São Paulo- USP). Images of areas of interest were captured using a manual turntable built for this purpose. The images were processed with commercially available software (Photoshop CS5; Stereo Photo Maker; VRWorx2.6 for Windows) non-linear format, interactive, three-dimensional stereoscopic and stored in a database of 5337 final images. The teaching resource was applied to 84 undergraduate medical students, divided into three groups: conventional (group 1), interactive non-stereoscopic (group 2) and interactive stereoscopic (group 3). Averages on the assessment of prior knowledge did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) among groups. The tool was evaluated through a written theory test and a lab practical. Groups 2 and 3 showed the highest averages and differed significantly from Group 1 (P < 0.05), Group 2 did not differ statistically from Group 3 (p > 0.05), revealing a result of similar training on the written theory test. Observing the Effect Sizes, it was found that those were of great magnitude, indicating student training effectiveness. ANOVA results showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between group means, and the Tukey test showed statistical difference between Group 1 and the others (P < 0.05). On the lab pratical, it may be noted that similarly to the written theory test, no statistical difference between Groups 2 and 3 were found. The authors conclude that the tool presented provided a gain of knowledge for students and yielded significantly higher leaning when compared with traditional teaching resources

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) have been used to control the gait of a virtual self-avatar with the aim of being used in gait rehabilitation. A BCI decodes the brain signals representing a desire to do something and transforms them into a control command for controlling external devices. The feelings described by the participants when they control a self-avatar in an immersive virtual environment (VE) demonstrate that humans can be embodied in the surrogate body of an avatar (ownership illusion). It has recently been shown that inducing the ownership illusion and then manipulating the movements of one’s self-avatar can lead to compensatory motor control strategies. In order to maximize this effect, there is a need for a method that measures and monitors embodiment levels of participants immersed in virtual reality (VR) to induce and maintain a strong ownership illusion. This is particularly true given that reaching a high level of both BCI performance and embodiment are inter-connected. To reach one of them, the second must be reached as well. Some limitations of many existing systems hinder their adoption for neurorehabilitation: 1- some use motor imagery (MI) of movements other than gait; 2- most systems allow the user to take single steps or to walk but do not allow both, which prevents users from progressing from steps to gait; 3- most of them function in a single BCI mode (cue-paced or self-paced), which prevents users from progressing from machine-dependent to machine-independent walking. Overcoming the aforementioned limitations can be done by combining different control modes and options in one single system. However, this would have a negative impact on BCI performance, therefore diminishing its usefulness as a potential rehabilitation tool. In this case, there will be a need to enhance BCI performance. For such purpose, many techniques have been used in the literature, such as providing modified feedback (whereby the presented feedback is not consistent with the user’s MI), sequential training (recalibrating the classifier as more data becomes available). This thesis was developed over 3 studies. The objective in study 1 was to investigate the possibility of measuring the level of embodiment of an immersive self-avatar, during the performing, observing and imagining of gait, using electroencephalogram (EEG) techniques, by presenting visual feedback that conflicts with the desired movement of embodied participants. The objective of study 2 was to develop and validate a BCI to control single steps and forward walking of an immersive virtual reality (VR) self-avatar, using mental imagery of these actions, in cue-paced and self-paced modes. Different performance enhancement strategies were implemented to increase BCI performance. The data of these two studies were then used in study 3 to construct a generic classifier that could eliminate offline calibration for future users and shorten training time. Twenty different healthy participants took part in studies 1 and 2. In study 1, participants wore an EEG cap and motion capture markers, with an avatar displayed in a head-mounted display (HMD) from a first-person perspective (1PP). They were cued to either perform, watch or imagine a single step forward or to initiate walking on a treadmill. For some of the trials, the avatar took a step with the contralateral limb or stopped walking before the participant stopped (modified feedback). In study 2, participants completed a 4-day sequential training to control the gait of an avatar in both BCI modes. In cue-paced mode, they were cued to imagine a single step forward, using their right or left foot, or to walk forward. In the self-paced mode, they were instructed to reach a target using the MI of multiple steps (switch control mode) or maintaining the MI of forward walking (continuous control mode). The avatar moved as a response to two calibrated regularized linear discriminant analysis (RLDA) classifiers that used the μ power spectral density (PSD) over the foot area of the motor cortex as features. The classifiers were retrained after every session. During the training, and for some of the trials, positive modified feedback was presented to half of the participants, where the avatar moved correctly regardless of the participant’s real performance. In both studies, the participants’ subjective experience was analyzed using a questionnaire. Results of study 1 show that subjective levels of embodiment correlate strongly with the power differences of the event-related synchronization (ERS) within the μ frequency band, and over the motor and pre-motor cortices between the modified and regular feedback trials. Results of study 2 show that all participants were able to operate the cued-paced BCI and the selfpaced BCI in both modes. For the cue-paced BCI, the average offline performance (classification rate) on day 1 was 67±6.1% and 86±6.1% on day 3, showing that the recalibration of the classifiers enhanced the offline performance of the BCI (p < 0.01). The average online performance was 85.9±8.4% for the modified feedback group (77-97%) versus 75% for the non-modified feedback group. For self-paced BCI, the average performance was 83% at switch control and 92% at continuous control mode, with a maximum of 12 seconds of control. Modified feedback enhanced BCI performances (p =0.001). Finally, results of study 3 show that the constructed generic models performed as well as models obtained from participant-specific offline data. The results show that there it is possible to design a participant-independent zero-training BCI. / Les interfaces cerveau-ordinateur (ICO) ont été utilisées pour contrôler la marche d'un égo-avatar virtuel dans le but d'être utilisées dans la réadaptation de la marche. Une ICO décode les signaux du cerveau représentant un désir de faire produire un mouvement et les transforme en une commande de contrôle pour contrôler des appareils externes. Les sentiments décrits par les participants lorsqu'ils contrôlent un égo-avatar dans un environnement virtuel immersif démontrent que les humains peuvent être incarnés dans un corps d'un avatar (illusion de propriété). Il a été récemment démontré que provoquer l’illusion de propriété puis manipuler les mouvements de l’égo-avatar peut conduire à des stratégies de contrôle moteur compensatoire. Afin de maximiser cet effet, il existe un besoin d'une méthode qui mesure et surveille les niveaux d’incarnation des participants immergés dans la réalité virtuelle (RV) pour induire et maintenir une forte illusion de propriété. D'autre part, atteindre un niveau élevé de performances (taux de classification) ICO et d’incarnation est interconnecté. Pour atteindre l'un d'eux, le second doit également être atteint. Certaines limitations de plusieurs de ces systèmes entravent leur adoption pour la neuroréhabilitation: 1- certains utilisent l'imagerie motrice (IM) des mouvements autres que la marche; 2- la plupart des systèmes permettent à l'utilisateur de faire des pas simples ou de marcher mais pas les deux, ce qui ne permet pas à un utilisateur de passer des pas à la marche; 3- la plupart fonctionnent en un seul mode d’ICO, rythmé (cue-paced) ou auto-rythmé (self-paced). Surmonter les limitations susmentionnées peut être fait en combinant différents modes et options de commande dans un seul système. Cependant, cela aurait un impact négatif sur les performances de l’ICO, diminuant ainsi son utilité en tant qu'outil potentiel de réhabilitation. Dans ce cas, il sera nécessaire d'améliorer les performances des ICO. À cette fin, de nombreuses techniques ont été utilisées dans la littérature, telles que la rétroaction modifiée, le recalibrage du classificateur et l'utilisation d'un classificateur générique. Le projet de cette thèse a été réalisé en 3 études, avec objectif d'étudier dans l'étude 1, la possibilité de mesurer le niveau d'incarnation d'un égo-avatar immersif, lors de l'exécution, de l'observation et de l'imagination de la marche, à l'aide des techniques encéphalogramme (EEG), en présentant une rétroaction visuelle qui entre en conflit avec la commande du contrôle moteur des sujets incarnés. L'objectif de l'étude 2 était de développer un BCI pour contrôler les pas et la marche vers l’avant d'un égo-avatar dans la réalité virtuelle immersive, en utilisant l'imagerie motrice de ces actions, dans des modes rythmés et auto-rythmés. Différentes stratégies d'amélioration des performances ont été mises en œuvre pour augmenter la performance (taux de classification) de l’ICO. Les données de ces deux études ont ensuite été utilisées dans l'étude 3 pour construire des classificateurs génériques qui pourraient éliminer la calibration hors ligne pour les futurs utilisateurs et raccourcir le temps de formation. Vingt participants sains différents ont participé aux études 1 et 2. Dans l'étude 1, les participants portaient un casque EEG et des marqueurs de capture de mouvement, avec un avatar affiché dans un casque de RV du point de vue de la première personne (1PP). Ils ont été invités à performer, à regarder ou à imaginer un seul pas en avant ou la marche vers l’avant (pour quelques secondes) sur le tapis roulant. Pour certains essais, l'avatar a fait un pas avec le membre controlatéral ou a arrêté de marcher avant que le participant ne s'arrête (rétroaction modifiée). Dans l'étude 2, les participants ont participé à un entrainement séquentiel de 4 jours pour contrôler la marche d'un avatar dans les deux modes de l’ICO. En mode rythmé, ils ont imaginé un seul pas en avant, en utilisant leur pied droit ou gauche, ou la marche vers l’avant . En mode auto-rythmé, il leur a été demandé d'atteindre une cible en utilisant l'imagerie motrice (IM) de plusieurs pas (mode de contrôle intermittent) ou en maintenir l'IM de marche vers l’avant (mode de contrôle continu). L'avatar s'est déplacé en réponse à deux classificateurs ‘Regularized Linear Discriminant Analysis’ (RLDA) calibrés qui utilisaient comme caractéristiques la densité spectrale de puissance (Power Spectral Density; PSD) des bandes de fréquences µ (8-12 Hz) sur la zone du pied du cortex moteur. Les classificateurs ont été recalibrés après chaque session. Au cours de l’entrainement et pour certains des essais, une rétroaction modifiée positive a été présentée à la moitié des participants, où l'avatar s'est déplacé correctement quelle que soit la performance réelle du participant. Dans les deux études, l'expérience subjective des participants a été analysée à l'aide d'un questionnaire. Les résultats de l'étude 1 montrent que les niveaux subjectifs d’incarnation sont fortement corrélés à la différence de la puissance de la synchronisation liée à l’événement (Event-Related Synchronization; ERS) sur la bande de fréquence μ et sur le cortex moteur et prémoteur entre les essais de rétroaction modifiés et réguliers. L'étude 2 a montré que tous les participants étaient capables d’utiliser le BCI rythmé et auto-rythmé dans les deux modes. Pour le BCI rythmé, la performance hors ligne moyenne au jour 1 était de 67±6,1% et 86±6,1% au jour 3, ce qui montre que le recalibrage des classificateurs a amélioré la performance hors ligne du BCI (p <0,01). La performance en ligne moyenne était de 85,9±8,4% pour le groupe de rétroaction modifié (77-97%) contre 75% pour le groupe de rétroaction non modifié. Pour le BCI auto-rythmé, la performance moyenne était de 83% en commande de commutateur et de 92% en mode de commande continue, avec un maximum de 12 secondes de commande. Les performances de l’ICO ont été améliorées par la rétroaction modifiée (p = 0,001). Enfin, les résultats de l'étude 3 montrent que pour la classification des initialisations des pas et de la marche, il a été possible de construire des modèles génériques à partir de données hors ligne spécifiques aux participants. Les résultats montrent la possibilité de concevoir une ICO ne nécessitant aucun entraînement spécifique au participant.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / A Brain Computer Interface (BCI) is a hardware and software system that establishes direct communication between human brain and the environment. In a BCI system, brain messages pass through wires and external computers instead of the normal pathway of nerves and muscles. General work ow in all BCIs is to measure brain activities, process and then convert them into an output readable for a computer. The measurement of electrical activities in different parts of the brain is called electroencephalography (EEG). There are lots of sensor technologies with different number of electrodes to record brain activities along the scalp. Each of these electrodes captures a weighted sum of activities of all neurons in the area around that electrode. In order to establish a BCI system, it is needed to set a bunch of electrodes on scalp, and a tool to send the signals to a computer for training a system that can find the important information, extract them from the raw signal, and use them to recognize the user's intention. After all, a control signal should be generated based on the application. This thesis describes the step by step training and testing a BCI system that can be used for a person who has lost speaking skills through an accident or surgery, but still has healthy brain tissues. The goal is to establish an algorithm, which recognizes different vowels from EEG signals. It considers a bandpass filter to remove signals' noise and artifacts, periodogram for feature extraction, and Support Vector Machine (SVM) for classification.

Electroencephalographic data recorded on the human scalp can be modeled as a linear mixture of underlying dipolar source generators. The characterization of such generators is the aim of several families of signal processing methods. In this HDR we consider in several details three of such families, namely 1) EEG distributed inverse solutions, 2) diagonalization methods, including spatial filtering and blind source separation and 3) Riemannian geometry. We highlight our contributions in each of this family, we describe algorithms reporting all necessary information to make purposeful use of these methods and we give numerous examples with real data pertaining to our published studies. Traditionally only the single-subject scenario is considered; here we consider in addition the extension of some methods to the simultaneous multi-subject recording scenario. This HDR can be seen as an handbook for EEG source analysis. It will be particularly useful to students and other colleagues approaching the field.

Outreach is a small, but significant component to modern research. Developing an exhibit for public display can be an effective way to communicate science to broad audiences, although it may be a less familiar method to scientists than writing papers or giving presentations. I outline the process of developing an interactive exhibit for outreach, and evaluate and discuss the effectiveness of a computer exhibit designed to communicate estuary currents and scientific modeling using Olympia Oyster restoration in the Yaquina Bay estuary as a theme. I summarize the results of this project in three primary recommendations: 1) exhibit developers should be deliberate in the decision to use a computer and only select this media if it is determined to be the best for communicating exhibit learning outcomes, 2) the design of visualizations to convey research results should be carefully modified from their scientific forms to best meet the exhibit learning outcomes and expectations of the exhibit audience, and 3) scientists should play an integral role in the development of scientific content-based exhibits, but their expertise, and the range of expertise from other members of the exhibit development team, should be strategically utilized. / Graduation date: 2012

The desire to enhance and make ourselves better is not a new one and it has continued to intrigue throughout the ages. Individuals have continued to seek ways to improve and enhance their well-being for example through nutrition, physical exercise, education and so on. Crucial to this improvement of their well-being is improving their ability to remember. Hence, people interested in improving their well-being, are often interested in memory as well. The rationale being that memory is crucial to our well-being. The desire to improve one’s memory then is almost certainly as old as the desire to improve one’s well-being. Traditionally, people have used different means in an attempt to enhance their memories: for example in learning through storytelling, studying, and apprenticeship. In remembering through practices like mnemonics, repetition, singing, and drumming. In retaining, storing and consolidating memories through nutrition and stimulants like coffee to help keep awake; and by external aids like notepads and computers. In forgetting through rituals and rites. Recent scientific advances in biotechnology, nanotechnology, molecular biology, neuroscience, and information technologies, present a wide variety of technologies to enhance many different aspects of human functioning. Thus, some commentators have identified human enhancement as central and one of the most fascinating subject in bioethics in the last two decades. Within, this period, most of the commentators have addressed the Ethical, Social, Legal and Policy (ESLP) issues in human enhancements as a whole as opposed to specific enhancements. However, this is problematic and recently various commentators have found this to be deficient and called for a contextualized case-by-case analysis to human enhancements for example genetic enhancement, moral enhancement, and in my case memory enhancement (ME). The rationale being that the reasons for accepting/rejecting a particular enhancement vary depending on the enhancement itself. Given this enormous variation, moral and legal generalizations about all enhancement processes and technologies are unwise and they should instead be evaluated individually. Taking this as a point of departure, this research will focus specifically on making a case for ME and in doing so assessing the ESLP implications arising from ME. My analysis will draw on the already existing literature for and against enhancement, especially in part two of this thesis; but it will be novel in providing a much more in-depth analysis of ME. From this perspective, I will contribute to the ME debate through two reviews that address the question how we enhance the memory, and through four original papers discussed in part three of this thesis, where I examine and evaluate critically specific ESLP issues that arise with the use of ME. In the conclusion, I will amalgamate all my contribution to the ME debate and suggest the future direction for the ME debate.