Thought Keyboard
The Thought Keyboard will allow users to operate a computer with full keyboard and mouse control, use it on all operating systems, and control it using of an electroencephalograph (EEG) headset, a non-invasive brain scanning device that sense neural patterns in their brains. This would be a huge benefit to persons with dexterity impairments who cannot otherwise use traditional computer input methods.
Lead: Brenton Cousins
My name is Brenton Cousins and I am a second year Computer Engineering student at RIT and the Though Keyboard Project Lead since January 2019. I have been active in project management for about six years, ranging from home made EEGs to articulated Halloween costumes. I try to be well rounded in my skills and knowledge, expanding them whenever possible. This has been a wonderful experience thus far, and I am excited to see who and what else come out of this organisation.
Researchers
Riley Fitzpatrick
My name is Riley Fitzpatrick. I am a first year Computer Science student. At NXT, I do machine learning for the Thought Keyboard Project. My interests span many disciplines, but bioengineering, biohacking, and human computer interaction have always been prominent, so NXT appealed to me instantly. I am excited to be joining NXT at such an early stage. Given how much success they've had in the first couple years, I am eager to see how far we will go in the coming years. What I am most excited for is seeing people use our work, even if just an early stage prototype. I anticipate that it will be especially fulfilling to use the technology in ways that help people who struggle with a condition. As a Computer Science student, it is easy to be tempted into the world of low impact internet businesses, but projects like NXT, that are as exciting as they are impactful, make it easier to use my skills to create value.
Jimmy He
My name is Jimmy He. I am a second-year international mechanical engineering student at RIT. I am currently on the project keyboard team as a developer and HCI (Human Computer Interaction) researcher. As an engineering student, I joined the team because I wanted to drastically improve my programming skills and learn more about machine learning and brain-computer interface to prepare myself for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. I find neuro-technology development exciting because we are, in constructive ways, blurring the line between reality and science fiction in shows/movies like Black Mirror. I believe that our project will significantly improve disabled people’s ability to use computers and even bring about a new norm of digital communication.
Katie O'Neill-Knasick
My name is Katie O’Neill-Knasick. I am a first year student studying Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. At NXT, I am a part of the Project Keyboard Team – more specifically the Human Subject Research (HSR) subgroup. I joined NXT because of my plans to become a doctor somewhere in the neuroscience field. I want to learn as much about the brain, while helping out patients, in the case of NXT, with ALS or muscular dystrophy, as I prepare for medical school.
Participants
Jisook Moon
Calvin Do
Ben Piro