Lifespan perspectives on brain-computer interfaces: from childhood to healthy aging

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have emerged with the potential to restore, augment, and enhance human communication, motor function, and cognitive performance. While much of the foundational BCI research has focused on adult populations, there is growing recognition that the needs, neural characteristics, and responses to BCI technology vary considerably across the lifespan.This Research Topic invites contributions that explore the development, application, and evaluation of BCI systems across all age groups, with a particular emphasis on the unique challenges and opportunities presented by different stages of life. We welcome interdisciplinary work bridging neuroscience, engineering, rehabilitation, cognitive science, and clinical research, with the shared goal of advancing BCI technology for diverse user populations.We invite submissions covering, but not limited to, the following themes:• BCI development and validation in paediatric populations, including children with cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and other neurodevelopmental conditions• Age-related changes in neural signals and their implications for BCI performance and calibration• Cognitive and motor BCIs for healthy aging and age-related neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and mild cognitive impairment• Longitudinal studies examining BCI performance and neural plasticity across developmental stages• User-centred design and accessibility considerations for BCI systems across the lifespan• Ethical, social, and psychological considerations of BCI use across different age groups• Machine learning and signal processing approaches adapted for age-specific neural characteristics• Hybrid BCI systems combining multiple modalities for improved performance in diverse user groups Topic editors: Natalie Mrachacz-Kersting, Tomasz Maciej Rutkowski Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80428/lifespan-perspectives-on-brain-computer-interfaces-from-childhood-to-healthy-aging