The Impact of Flow in an EEG-based Brain Computer Interface
This addresses user experience issues in BCIs, but the results are incremental due to mixed effects on performance.
The paper tackled low usability and poor user performance in Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) by inducing a state of flow in users, finding that difficulty adaptation increased flow but music did not, with flow correlating positively with offline performance but not consistently improving online performance.
Major issues in Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) include low usability and poor user performance. This paper tackles them by ensuring the users to be in a state of immersion, control and motivation, called state of flow. Indeed, in various disciplines, being in the state of flow was shown to improve performances and learning. Hence, we intended to draw BCI users in a flow state to improve both their subjective experience and their performances. In a Motor Imagery BCI game, we manipulated flow in two ways: 1) by adapting the task difficulty and 2) by using background music. Results showed that the difficulty adaptation induced a higher flow state, however music had no effect. There was a positive correlation between subjective flow scores and offline performance, although the flow factors had no effect (adaptation) or negative effect (music) on online performance. Overall, favouring the flow state seems a promising approach for enhancing users' satisfaction, although its complexity requires more thorough investigations.