Student Support for the Fifth International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting

脑机接口(BCI)将从大脑记录的信号转换为有用的输出，如控制计算机光标的移动，选择计算机屏幕上的字母或图标，甚至操作神经假体。因此，对于患有严重运动障碍或疾病(如肌萎缩侧索硬化症(ALS)、脑干中风、脑瘫和脊髓损伤)的人来说，BCI技术是一种潜在的强大的沟通和控制选择，这些人可能很少或甚至没有肌肉控制，因此无法与外部世界进行沟通。这项激动人心的工作的成功有赖于神经科学、心理学、工程学、数学、计算机科学和临床康复领域的研究人员之间密切而富有成效的多学科互动。由于没有将这些小组聚集在一起分享成果、交流思想和开展必要的密切和富有成效的合作的标准场所，NIH赞助和纽约州奥尔巴尼的沃兹沃斯中心于1999年组织了第一次国际BCI会议，随后在2002年、2005年和2010年又举行了几次会议。这笔资金用于支持将于2013年6月3-7日在加利福尼亚州阿西洛马市举行的第五届国际BCI会议。由于脑机接口研究领域的增长，预计将有300名或更多的参与者参加，其中包括来自至少100个脑机接口研究小组的调查人员。所有与会者都承诺参加整个会议，从6月3日星期一晚上的开幕式和晚宴，到6月7日星期五上午早餐时的最后总结讨论。这两天的日程安排包括周二上午选定的BCI实验室代表对科学和技术进展的简要总结。周二下午包括针对BCI的创新应用程序和协议，以及关于BCI性能指标的小组讨论。星期三从为BCI领域的女性举办的特别早餐开始，接着是临床翻译和传播会议。在海报和演示会议之后，将有一个市政厅会议，重点是建立一个BCI社会。周四，由BCI领域的研究人员提出的最多15个研讨会将同时举行，每个研讨会将邀请演讲、有针对性的讨论和尖锐的焦点辩论相结合。周四的会议将以讨论最先进的BCI技术和未来的研讨会结束。周五上午，所有与会者将举行全体会议，每个研讨会的负责人将作15分钟的总结报告。这次会议的主要资金来源将再次是美国国立卫生研究院。NSF的资金将使会议组织者能够支持大约30名额外的学生(包括本科生和研究生，以及博士后研究员)，参加和参加一个特别的会议前研讨会以及会议本身。有关会议的更多信息，请访问http://bcimeeting.org/2013/.Broader Impact：我们将鼓励学生参与会议的各个方面。第一天的实验室研究报告将使他们接触到世界各地正在进行的BCI研究的广度和多样性。非正式讲习班将使他们熟悉目前正在研究的前沿问题以及对这些问题的不同观点。学生将协助制定研讨会计划；参与研讨会讨论；并可能协助准备总结报告。为筹备主要会议，将于6月3日下午为学生举行一次特别座谈会，目的是在他们进入关于该领域各个方面的专门会议之前，介绍一个大的图景，并填补他们在理解方面的空白。在周一和周三的下午，学生们将参加特别的“对话”会议，在那里，知名的研究人员将可以回答问题并领导讨论。学生和博士后研究员将展示他们研究的海报，这些海报将由一个由BCI高级研究人员组成的小组根据创新和科学或技术优点进行评判。由于所有与会者都在现场住宿，所有与会者的所有餐饮都集中在现场，因此将有足够的机会进行非正式讨论。这为学生和实习生创造了一个独特的机会，可以与知名研究人员打成一片，并向他们学习。学生参与是BCI会议的一个重要特点，使学生能够结识潜在的导师和合作者。许多参加了BCI前四次会议的学生都选择了BCI作为他们选择的研究领域。国际和平协会将作出特别努力，鼓励传统上代表性不足的群体的成员参加。

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) translate signals recorded from the brain into useful outputs such as control of the movement of a computer cursor, selection of letters or icons on a computer screen, or even operation of a neuroprosthesis. Thus, BCI technology is a potentially powerful communication and control option for people with severe motor disabilities or disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), brainstem stroke, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injury, who may have little or even no muscle control and therefore no means of communication with the external world. The success of this exciting work depends on close and productive multidisciplinary interactions among researchers working in neuroscience, psychology, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and clinical rehabilitation. Because no standard venue existed to bring these groups together to share results, to exchange ideas, and to develop the requisite close and productive collaborations, the NIH sponsored and the Wadsworth Center in Albany NY organized the First International BCI Meeting in 1999, which was followed by additional meetings in 2002, 2005 and 2010.This is funding to support the Fifth International BCI Meeting, which will be held June 3-7, 2013, in Asilomar, California. Because of the growth in the field of BCI research 300 or more participants are expected to attend, including investigators from at least 100 BCI research groups. All attendees commit to the entire meeting, from the opening reception and dinner on the evening of Monday, June 3, through the final summary discussion at breakfast the morning of Friday, June 7. The schedule for the days in between includes, on Tuesday morning, brief summaries scientific and technical advances by representatives of selected BCI labs. Tuesday afternoon includes innovative applications and protocols for BCIs, as well as a panel on BCI performance metrics. Wednesday starts with a special breakfast for women in the BCI field, and continues with a session on Clinical Translation and Dissemination. After a poster and demo session, there will be a Town Hall meeting focused on forming a BCI Society. On Thursday up to 15 workshops proposed by researchers in the BCI field will run concurrently, each workshop to combine invited talks, targeted discussion, and sharply focused debates. Thursday's sessions will conclude with a discussion of the State of the Art and future workshops for BCI technologies. On Friday morning there will be a plenary session of all meeting attendees, in which leaders of each workshop will present a 15-minute summary presentation. The primary source of funding for the meeting will once again be the National Institutes of Health. NSF funds will enable the conference organizers to support about 30 additional students (including undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows), to attend and participate in a special pre-conference seminar as well as the conference itself. More information about the conference may be found online at http://bcimeeting.org/2013/.Broader Impacts: Students will be encouraged to participate in all aspects of the conference. The laboratory research reports of the first day will expose them to the breadth and variety of BCI research going on around the world. The informal workshops will familiarize them with the issues now being addressed on the cutting edge of the research and with the different viewpoints on those issues. Students will assist in workshop planning; participate in the workshop discussions; and may assist in the preparation of summary reports. In preparation for the main meeting, a special colloquium will be held for students on the afternoon of June 3 with the purpose of presenting a big picture, as well as filling in gaps in their understanding before they move into specialized sessions on various aspects of the field. On Monday and Wednesday afternoons, students will attend special "talk back" sessions where established researchers will be available to answer questions and to lead discussions. Students and post-doctoral fellows will present posters on their research, which will be judged by a panel of senior BCI researchers on the basis of innovation and scientific or technical merit. With all participants housed on site and all meals for all attendees taken together on site, there will be ample opportunity for informal discussions. This creates a unique opportunity for students and trainees to mingle with and learn from established researchers. Student participation is a critical feature of the BCI meetings, allowing students to meet potential mentors and collaborators. Many students who attended the first four BCI meetings have gone on to pursue BCI as their chosen field of research. The PI will make a special effort to encourage participation by members of traditionally underrepresented groups.