Resonance: A Brain-Computer Interface Assemblage of EEG, Sound, and Therapeutic Clowns for the Detection of Consciousness

Abstract

Abstract A growing number of individuals live with medical conditions and injuries that render them minimally communicative. Assessing their level of consciousness and awareness is a major challenge that has profound implications for care decisions and their relationships. Resonance: a novel brain-computer interface assemblage, is designed to detect and augment expressions of consciousness in minimally communicative individuals. Resonance consists of (1) high-density EEG features that vary with states of consciousness; (2) sound; and (3) therapeutic clowns. Seven EEG features of consciousness are calculated in real time and mapped to sonic output. Therapeutic clowns use multisensory improvisational play to interact with these sonified brain features to create interpersonal connections with minimally communicative individuals. Resonance has the potential to reveal real-time variations in an individual’s level of consciousness, which may create an entirely new form of interpersonal interaction with minimally communicative persons.