Dareplane: A modular open-source software platform for BCI research with application in closed-loop deep brain stimulation
Matthias Dold, Joana Pereira, Bastian Sajonz, Volker A. Coenen, Jordy Thielen, Marcus L. F. Janssen, Michael Tangermann
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Abstract
Objective - This work introduces Dareplane, a modular and broad technology-agnostic open source software platform for brain-computer interface research with an application focus on adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS). One difficulty for investigating control approaches for aDBS resides with the complex setups required for aDBS experiments, a challenge Dareplane tries to address. Approach - The key features of the platform are presented and the composition of modules into a full experimental setup is discussed in the context of a Python-based orchestration module. The performance of a typical experimental setup on Dareplane for aDBS is evaluated in three benchtop experiments, covering (a) an easy-to-replicate setup using an Arduino microcontroller, (b) a setup with hardware of an implantable pulse generator, and (c) a setup using an established and CE certified external neurostimulator. The full technical feasibility of the platform in the aDBS context is demonstrated in a first closed-loop session with externalized leads on a patient with Parkinson's disease receiving DBS treatment and further in a non-invasive BCI speller application using code-modulated visual evoked responses (c-VEP). Main results - The platform is implemented and open-source accessible on https://github.com/bsdlab/Dareplane. Benchtop results show that performance of the platform is sufficient for current aDBS latencies, and the platform could successfully be used in the aDBS experiment. The timing-critical c-VEP speller could be successfully implemented on the platform achieving expected information transfer rates. Significance - The Dareplane platform supports aDBS setups, and more generally the research on neurotechnological systems such as brain-computer interfaces. It provides a modular, technology-agnostic, and easy-to-implement software platform to make experimental setups more resilient and replicable.