Section: Contracts and Grants with Industry

ANR Open-ViBE1 and Open-ViBE2

Participants : Anatole Lécuyer [ contact ] , Laurent Bonnet, Alain Chauffaut, Vincent Delannoy, Thierry Duval, Laurent George, Yann Renard, Aurélien Van Langenhove.

The aim of the Open-ViBE1 project, funded by the French National Agency for Research, was to develop an open-source software enclosing efficient techniques for Brain-Computer Interfaces (http://www.irisa.fr/bunraku/OpenViBE ). In addition, Open-ViBE1 has opened new research areas in the field of EEG signal-processing and Virtual Reality technologies supporting BCI applications. Open-ViBE involved 6 partners for 41 months starting December 2005: INRIA, INSERM, FRANCE TELECOM, CEA, GIPSA-LAB, and AFM. Applications of Open-ViBE concerned disabled people and their accessibility to multimedia and telecommunication services.

The Open-ViBE1 partners have conducted innovative research and published around 40 papers covering the very wide spectrum of the BCI field, i.e. in neuroscience, electrophysiology, EEG signal processing, and virtual reality (http://www.irisa.fr/bunraku/OpenViBE/wiki/index.php?title=Publications ).

In parallel, the Open-ViBE1 consortium has developed a free and open-source software devoted to the design, test and use of Brain-Computer Interfaces (see Section 5.2 ).

OpenViBE2 is a 3-year project funded by the French National Agency for Research. The objective of OpenViBE2 is to propose a radical shift of perspective about the use of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI). First, in OpenViBE2 we consider the possibility to merge a BCI with traditional peripherals such as joysticks, mice and other devices, all being possibly used simultaneously in a virtual environment. Therefore, BCI is not seen as a replacement but as a complement of classical HCI. Second, we aim at monitoring brain cognitive functions and mental states of the user in order to adapt, in real-time and in an automated fashion, the interaction protocol as well as the content of the remote/virtual environment (VE).

One major strength of OpenViBE2 consortium relies on the fact that four partners were already involved in the previous project OpenViBE1: INRIA, INSERM, GIPSA-LAB, CEA. In addition, the six new partners joining OpenViBE2 will bring their complementary expertise required by the scope of our proposal: CHART, CLARTE, UBISOFT, BLACK SHEEP, KYLOTONN.