Patent ID: 8185193

Claim:
An electroencephalogram interface system comprising: a biological signal detection section for detecting an electroencephalogram signal from a user, and a control section for distinguishing a component of an event-related potential which is contained in the electroencephalogram signal and causing a device to operate based on the distinguished event-related potential, wherein, the electroencephalogram interface system further comprises: an activation apparatus for activating the control section from an inactive state in which the control section is not processing electroencephalogram signals, and an output section for presenting a visual stimulation which flickers with a predetermined frequency based on a signal from the activation apparatus; and the activation apparatus includes: a frequency analysis section for analyzing a frequency component of the electroencephalogram signal detected by the biological signal detection section, and detecting an intensity corresponding to the predetermined frequency; a determination section for comparing the detected intensity of the predetermined frequency and a predetermined threshold, and if the intensity of the predetermined frequency is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, determining that the user has been paying attention to the visual stimulation and thus activating the control section; a biological signal analysis section for analyzing signal intensities of a plurality of frequencies contained in the electroencephalogram signal detected by the biological signal detection section; a setting section for setting the predetermined frequency based on a result of analysis by the biological signal analysis section; and an adjustment section for generating a signal for presenting the visual stimulation at the frequency having been set, wherein the biological signal analysis section continuously analyzes the signal intensities of the plurality of frequencies, and sets as the predetermined frequency a frequency which is different from a frequency whose signal intensity is increasing.