Method and apparatus for translating the EEG into music to induce and control various psychological and physiological states and to control a musical instrument

A method of producing a biofeedback signal useful for creating music, comprising the steps of:

• receiving an ongoing EEG signal from at least one region of the brain of a biological entity, said at least one region of the brain responding to acoustical stimulation, said ongoing EEG signal having a voltage amplitude exhibiting semiperiodic change;
• translating said ongoing EEG signal into music, including the steps of
• generating an acoustical indication of the semiperiodic change in said ongoing EEG signal,
• generating a musical flavor, and adding said
• musical flavor to said acoustical indication;
• directing said music so as to be received by the brain;
• and
• delaying said directing for a period of time determined so that the brain responds to said music with a predetermined phase relationship with respect to the ongoing EEG signal received from said region of the brain.

Music derived from brain waves by a process comprising the steps of:

• receiving an ongoing EEG signal from at least one region of the brain of a biological entity, said at least one region of the brain responding to acoustical stimulation, said ongoing EEG signal exhibiting semiperiodic, moment-by-moment change;
• generating an acoustical indication of the moment-by-moment change of said ongoing EEG signal;
• adding musical flavor to said acoustical indication;
• directing said acoustical indication so as to be received by the brain;
• and
• delaying said step of directing said acoustical indication for a period of time determined so that the brain responds to said acoustical indication with a predetermined phase relationship with respect to the ongoing EEG signal received from said region of the brain.

A brain wave driven cybernetic interface circuit adapted for cooperation with a nervous system, a brain, and an acoustical sensory organ, comprising:

• means for selecting a predetermined form of electrical activity from the nervous system, said brain producing produce said electrical activity, said acoustical sensory organ adapted to respond to acoustical impulses, including
• means for receiving an ongoing EEG signal from a region of the brain, and
• means for filtering said ongoing EEG signal to select a particular type of neuroelectrical activity in the brain, said neuroelectrical activity exhibiting semiperiodic change;
• means for reinforcing said neuroelectrical activity in the brain, including
• means for generating an acoustical indication of said semiperiodic change,
• means for adding musical flavor to said acoustical indication to form a musical feedback signal,
• means for converting said musical feedback signal into acoustical impulses comprising feedback music,
• means for directing said feedback music to be received by said acoustical sensory organ, and
• means for delaying said directing means for a period of time determined so that the brain response to said feedback music occurs with a predetermined phase relationship with respect to the ongoing EEG signal received from said region of the brain;
• and
• means for generating a control signal in response to a predetermined musical pattern in said feedback music.

A method of forming a cybernetic interface, comprising the steps of:

• selecting a predetermined form of electrical activity from a nervous system, said nervous system having a brain to produce said electrical activity and an acoustical sensory organ to respond to acoustical impulses, including the steps of
• receiving an ongoing EEG signal from a region of the brain, and
• filtering said ongoing EEG signal to select a particular type of neuroelectrical activity in the brain, said neuroelectrical activity exhibiting semiperiodic change;
• reinforcing said neuroelectrical activity in the brain including the steps of
• generating an acoustical indication of said semiperiodic change,
• adding musical flavor to said acoustical indication to form a musical feedback signal,
• converting said musical feedback signal into acoustical impulses comprising feedback music,
• directing said feedback music to be received by said acoustical sensory organ, and
• delaying said step of directing for a period of time determined so that the brain responds to said feedback music with a predetermined phase relationship with respect to the ongoing EEG signal received from said region of the brain;
• and
• generating a control signal in response to a predetermined musical pattern in said feedback music.

A neural stimulation apparatus, comprising:

• means for noninvasively extracting an ongoing EEG signal from a predetermined region of a brain;
• means for converting said EEG signal into music, said music having physiological information and musical flavor;
• means for directing said music to an auditory sensory organ of said brain;
• and
• means for delaying said directing means for a period of time determined so that said response of said region of the brain said music occurs with a predetermined phase relationship with respect to the ongoing EEG signal extracted from said region of the brain.

A method of stimulating neural activity, comprising the steps of:

• noninvasively extracting an ongoing EEG signal from a predetermined region of a brain;
• converting said EEG signal into music, said music having physiological information and musical flavor;
• directing said music to an auditory sensory organ of said brain;
• and
• delaying said directing step for a period of time determined so that said region of the brain responds to said music with a predetermined phase relationship with respect to the ongoing EEG signal extracted from said region of the brain.