Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel, Head of the Software Engineering Department, noted that the developing field of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology could allow individuals who cannot speak and/or use their limbs to communicate again, emphasizing that this technology 'could also enable the operation of assistive devices for walking and manipulating objects.'
Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel: 'Brain-computer interfaces can also be beneficial for post-stroke rehabilitation and other disorders.'
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated, 'In the future of brain chips, depression and OCD treatment hold promise. Furthermore, the wave function of impaired regions in the brain could be repaired remotely with Radio Frequency (RF). A little more time is needed.'
Neuralink founder Elon Musk announced that a brain chip was implanted in a human for the first time.
Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel, Advisor to the Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi and Head of the Software Engineering Department at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (MDBF), provided information on brain-computer interface (BCI) technology.
'NPModel' enables preliminary diagnosis of psychiatric diseases
Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel noted that Üsküdar Üniversitesi, which implements artificial intelligence applications in healthcare through its Brain Computer Interface (BCI) studies, can make preliminary diagnoses of psychiatric diseases and predict treatment responses with high accuracy using 'NPModel,' for which it has filed an international patent application.
Providing information about the studies, Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel said, 'We are conducting R&D-focused studies in health sciences, such as Neuromodulation Therapies, Neurogenetic Studies, autism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's Research, and Virtual Reality Programs in Healthcare, along with students, through over 80 research laboratories, application and research centers, including Turkey's first personalized treatment and advanced toxicology laboratory.'
What opportunities are offered to students?
Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel stated that Üsküdar Üniversitesi offers its students practical and clinical opportunities in health informatics, one of the important professions of the future, including BCI and artificial intelligence studies, as well as brain stimulation, neuro-imaging laboratories, and health physics. He added, 'Brain activity can be monitored using different approaches such as electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalogram (MEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electrocorticogram (ECoG), and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).'
Brain-computer interfaces receive and analyze brain signals
Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel noted that BCIs (brain-computer interfaces) are generally aimed at investigating, mapping, assisting, augmenting, or repairing human cognitive or sensorimotor functions, and continued:
'Brain-computer interfaces receive and analyze brain signals and convert them into commands sent to output devices that perform desired actions. BCIs do not use normal neuromuscular output pathways. The primary function of a BCI is to alter or restore useful functions for patients with disabilities due to neuromuscular disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke, or spinal cord injury. Electroencephalography-based text typing uses electroencephalographic, intracortical, electrocorticographic, and other brain signals for controlling robotic arms, prostheses, wheelchairs, or other physical devices.'
Brain-computer interfaces can also be beneficial for post-stroke rehabilitation and other disorders
Ergüzel stated that brain-computer interfaces can also be beneficial for post-stroke rehabilitation and other disorders, adding, 'Following animal experiments, the first neuroprosthetic devices implanted in humans appeared in the mid-1990s, but recent EEG-focused studies, along with newly extracted features and machine learning algorithms, have achieved a high level of success in BCI research.'
Greatly exciting scientists, engineers, clinicians, and the public
Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel stated that brain-computer interface technology is the focus of a rapidly growing research and development initiative that greatly excites scientists, engineers, clinicians, and the general public, adding:
'The working group, composed of psychiatrists from NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, in collaboration with the Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems Application and Research Center (YAZAMER), established within Üsküdar Üniversitesi and notable for its big data-focused studies and applications in healthcare, has developed new neural biomarkers for common diseases such as MDD, OCD, ADHD, autism, and bipolar disorder, using high-resolution MRI and EEG data, and has developed models predicting treatment outcomes in patients diagnosed with depression.'
What is NPModel?
Providing information about NPModel, Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel explained:
'NPModel is a decision-making infrastructure built upon the knowledge and expertise of Üsküdar Üniversitesi and NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, under the leadership of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan. BraiNP is a predictive architecture with diagnostic and prognostic model components. Diagnostic models use a deep learning-based framework for feature extraction and classification. While inputs are pre-processed neuroimaging raw data, the output of the predictive model is classification accuracy for classes. Prognostic models use a deep learning-based structure to create a model aimed at estimating the risk of a specific future outcome for a given subject for a specific treatment. With its structure and vision, we believe the interface will offer promising results and great potential for precision medicine applications in clinical research and practice.'
Miraculous developments for those who cannot speak and/or use their limbs
Prof. Dr. Türker Tekin Ergüzel concluded by stating that the developing field of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology could enable individuals who cannot speak and/or use their limbs to communicate again or operate assistive devices for walking and manipulating objects:
'Brain-computer interface research receives support with high public awareness. While brain-computer interfaces offer assistive applications that classify a user's intention to communicate with or control external devices by monitoring real-time brain activity, neurobiofeedback applications, which are used as a process of providing real-time information to the client and rewarding central nervous system activity in an operant conditioning paradigm, are also a widespread BCI application area.
Within our university, studies are also being carried out to impart the ability to control cognitive and behavioral physiology through the Neurobiofeedback laboratory established for neurobiofeedback applications. These applications aim to bring individuals' normal and abnormal bioelectrical responses in the brain, which clients are not consciously aware of, into a conscious state through monitoring with a BCI-supported interface, thereby enabling the individual to control their cognitive and behavioral physiology.'
In the future of brain chips, depression and OCD treatment hold promise…
Regarding the development, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan commented, 'In the future of brain chips, depression and OCD treatment hold promise. Furthermore, the wave function of impaired regions in the brain could be repaired remotely with Radio Frequency (RF). A little more time is needed...'