MBI - Music Brain Interface

The Music Brain Interface approaches the positive effects of music on well-being with a technological twist; by measuring brainwaves with a completely portable device, to create individualised music playlist to both enhance neural development, stimulate music participation and contribute to research in collaboration with active music therapy.

Understanding the complexity of the perception, processing and production of music has reached way beyond the realm of storytelling in the past decades. Neuroscientific research as well as research in Music therapy and intervention have shown  positive results on aspects such as pain relief, neural development, emotion regulation the ability for social interaction and exchange across different populations.

MBI will

1. provide customised and tailored musical playlists based on individual brainwaves for the purpose of enhancing and improving brain health from neurotypicals to individuals across different pathologies.

2. address the challenge from a multidisciplinary point of view, not only contributing to neural well being en enhancement of cognitive functioning, but in turn to the further understanding of the perception, processing and execution of music.

3. through understanding and direct application, help to destigmatise brain related pathologies and support clinical music interventions, as they can be performed outside of an institution, allowing to incorporate it into every day society.

In three words:

Brain:
- health
- well-being
- enhancement

Music is accessible to everybody around the globe and across communities. Besides the effects measured by multiple researches in and outside of the field, music has been proven as more than just a pleasurable past time. Customising musical playlists to measured brainwaves outside of a research center or clinic allows to bring the powerful tool of music to any community eliminating stigmatisation. From clients suffering from psychiatric problems to elderly with a form of dementia, to neurotypical individuals seeking to enhance their cognitive ability through customised "brain music", MBI can cater for a wide variety of clients.

People from different cultures and socio economic background, from neurotypical to several neural pathologies will benefit from the here proposed 'solution'.

1. Development of brain interface software for a wider audience

2. Incorporate MBI in active music therapy for people with neuropatholologies

3. Tailor made playlists from MBI data to promote neural stimulation in both neurotypical and neurotypical populations 

Track downloads in App Store for neurotypical populations - Development of MBI software app

Clinical monitoring - MBI and active Music therapy

Track 'plays' of playlists as well as brain interface data through BCI software - Tailor made playlists from MBI

Up to this point there has been multiple research in the filled of either music therapy or brain imaging. 

This solution is unique in combining these two approaches, by using practical/active intervention techniques with innovative Technologies in Brain scanning. BOth approaches are used to compliment each other rather than focusing on a single development, promoting multidisciplinarity. 

MBI Has committed itself to the openBCI project, which places humans at the centre of any development of Britain imaging, by democratising and open sourcing software for brain imagining. Making Brian imaging available for everybody.

Internet, app stores and most importantly through clinical peer exchange and clinical education.

external funding by stakeholders as well as faculty support.

At the moment the hardware is functioning however the software has to be developed and tested. As EEG data is not always consistent when reading brainwaves due to external musclemovement or other sensory distraction, it remains a challenge to filter the brain signal in a way that it can be applied to both client wellbeing as well as to neurotypicals. Furthermore, the step to  link the neural signal to algorithms related to individualised music will equally pose a challenge. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnKf2BY66Yo

http://www.ludwiglive.nl/

https://www.artez.nl/en/study-programmes/music-therapy-master/vision

Through the multidisciplinary approach and expert knowledge within Solve, this project, being multidisciplinary in nature, will appeal to the community and expertise.

VU University Amsterdam

University of Amsterdam

ArtEZ University of Applied Sciences

ZUYD University of Applied Sciences

LUDWIG and the Brain

OpenBCI

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