Imagined Speech and Visual Imagery as Intuitive Paradigms for Brain-Computer Interfaces

Recent advancements in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology have emphasized the promise of imagined speech and visual imagery as effective paradigms for intuitive communication. This study investigates the classification performance and brain connectivity patterns associated with these paradigms, focusing on decoding accuracy across selected word classes. Sixteen participants engaged in tasks involving thirteen imagined speech and visual imagery classes, revealing above-chance classification accuracy for both paradigms. Variability in classification accuracy across individual classes highlights the influence of sensory and motor associations in imagined speech and vivid visual associations in visual imagery. Connectivity analysis further demonstrated increased functional connectivity in language-related and sensory regions for imagined speech, whereas visual imagery activated spatial and visual processing networks. These findings suggest the potential of imagined speech and visual imagery as an intuitive and scalable paradigm for BCI communication when selecting optimal word classes. Further exploration of the decoding outcomes for these two paradigms could provide insights for practical BCI communication.