PLYMOUTH BRAIN-COMPUTER MUSIC INTERFACE PROJECT: INTELLIGENT ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR MUSIC-MAKING

This paper introduces a system that uses brainwaves, or EEG (electroencephalogram), information to compose and play music in real-time. The system composes music using generative grammars and transition rules controlled by means of information extracted from the EEG of the subject. The paper starts by noting the various attempts at the design of systems that make music from the EEG signals, followed by a short technical introduction to the EEG. The generative component of the system is inspired by the work of David Cope [7] on computer-replication of a musical style by analysis of given musical examples. The paper concludes with a brief discussion on the contribution of our research for the development of assistive technology for physical disability.