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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Hum. Neurosci.
Sec. Brain-Computer Interfaces
Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2025.1456692
This article is part of the Research Topic Clinical Applications and Ethical Considerations of Brain-Computer Interfaces View all 4 articles
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Children and young people (CYP) with severe physical disabilities often experience barriers to independent mobility, placing them at risk for developmental impairments and restricting their independence and participation. Pilot work suggests that brain-computer interface (BCIs) could enable powered mobility control for children with motor disabilities. We explored how severely disabled CYP could use BCI to achieve individualized, functional power mobility goals and acquire power mobility skills. We also explored the practicality of pediatric BCI-enabled power mobility. Nine CYP aged 7-17 years with severe physical disabilities and their caregivers participated in up to 12 BCI-enabled power mobility training sessions focused on a personalized power mobility goal. Goal achievement was assessed using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS). The Assessment for Learning Powered Mobility (ALP) was used to measure sessionby-session power mobility skill acquisition. BCI set-up and calibration metrics, perceived workload, and participant engagement were also reported. Significant improvements in COPM performance (Z=-2.869, adjusted p=0.012) and satisfaction scores (Z=-2.809, adjusted p=0.015) and GAS T scores (Z=2.805, p=0.005) were observed following the intervention. ALP scores displayed a small but significant increase over time (R 2 =0.07 -0.19; adjusted p=<0.001 -0.039), with 7/9 participants achieving increased overall ALP scores following the intervention. Setup and calibration times were practical although calibration consistency was highly variable. Participants reported moderate workload with no significant change over time (R 2 =0.00 -0.13; adjusted p=0.006 -1.000), although there was a trend towards increased frustration over time (R 2 =0.13; adjusted p=0.006). Participants were highly engaged throughout the intervention. BCI-enabled power mobility appears to help CYP with severe physical disabilities achieve personalized power mobility goals and acquire power mobility skills. BCI-enabled power mobility training also appears to be practical, but BCI performance optimization and skill acquisition may be needed to translate this technology into clinical use.
Keywords: Brain-computer interface, Pediatrics, power mobility, Cerebral Palsy, Severe disabilities, alternative access technology
Received: 29 Jun 2024; Accepted: 25 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Hammond, Rowley, Tuck, Floreani, Wieler, Kim, Bahari, Andersen, Kirton and Kinney-Lang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Leah Hammond, Brain-Computer Interface Program, Imagination Centre, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Eli Kinney-Lang, BCI4Kids, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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