BFiVRC: BrainFlowsIntoVRChat

This is a BrainFlow implementation of my bci-workshop fork that sends your brain's relaxation and focus metrics, and power values based on the common frequency bands used in EEG measuements, for left, right and both sides of the head. Additional support for heart rate and respiration is available when supported by your hardware.

NEW: Added logic to read actions off of your brainwaves using machine learning. Read the README.md in the model/intent directory for more information.

Why BrainFlow?

The BrainFlow library provides a uniform API that is device agnostic, allowing this implementation of my workshop fork to work for all supported biosensors (including the muse headbands). No extra software needed!

Demos

• Rantis's Brain Controlled Ears
• Brain Controlled Ears: Five Months Later [VRChat]
• VRCHAT OSC MAGIC! (Last 30 seconds)
• Old version of Brain Controlled Ears

Instructions

1. Download this project to a folder and remember its folder path
2. Install Python 3.11.5
3. Open the command prompt by typing searching cmd at the start menu
4. Navigate to the project's path within the command prompt.
   • example: cd "C:\Users\<YOUR USERNAME HERE>\Documents\GitHub\BrainFlowsIntoVRChat"
5. Execute this command to install needed depedencies: python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
6. Look up your device's name or board ID: Board IDs Page
7. Turn on your headband
8. Run the script main.py with your device name or ID. For example, the command for running with a Muse 2 headband would be: python .\main.py --board-id muse_2_board

OSC Avatar Parameter Schema

Here are the various avatar parameters sent to VRChat. Neurofeedback scores range from -1 to 1 for signed floats, 0 to 1 for unsigned, with higher and lower values corresponding to higher and lower relax/focus scores. Depending on the board you're using, heartrate, respiration and battery information might be available. Power Band numbers are also sent per location as well, ranging from 0 to 1 averaging at 0.2.

To use these parameters within VRChat, write the parameter name as a path. For example, to get the left side alpha value, the parameter name would be:

• BFI/PwrBands/Left/Alpha

BFI:
  Info:
    - VersionMajor [int]
    - VersionMinor [int]
    - SecondsSinceLastUpdate [float]
    - DeviceConnected [bool]
    - BatterySupported [bool]
    - BatteryLevel [float]
  NeuroFB:
    - FocusLeft [float]
    - FocusLeftPos [float]
    - FocusRight [float]
    - FocusRightPos [float]
    - FocusAvg [float]
    - FocusAvgPos [float]
    - RelaxLeft [float]
    - RelaxLeftPos [float]
    - RelaxRight [float]
    - RelaxRightPos [float]
    - RelaxAvg [float]
    - RelaxAvgPos [float]
  PwrBands:
    Left:
      - Gamma [float]
      - Beta [float]
      - Alpha [float]
      - Theta [float]
      - Delta [float]
    Right:
      - Gamma [float]
      - Beta [float]
      - Alpha [float]
      - Theta [float]
      - Delta [float]
    Avg:
      - Gamma [float]
      - Beta [float]
      - Alpha [float]
      - Theta [float]
      - Delta [float]
  Addons:
    - Hueshift [float 0-1]
  Biometrics:
    - Supported [bool]
    - HeartBeatsPerSecond [float]
    - HeartBeatsPerMinute [int]
    - OxygenPercent [float]
    - BreathsPerSecond [float]
    - BreathsPerMinute [int]

Deprecation

We recommend updating to this schema. However, if your assets are still using the old parameter scheme, you can switch to them by adding the --use-old-reporter launch argument. Be aware that this will be deprecated in the future and an official announcement will be made for its sunset.

Migration from Old Parameter Schema

Need to migrate your existing prefabs? You can convert your existing parameters to the new standard using this chart.

Old Parameter	New Parameter
osc_focus_left	BFI/NeuroFB/FocusLeft
osc_focus_right	BFI/NeuroFB/FocusRight
osc_focus_avg	BFI/NeuroFB/FocusAvg
osc_relax_left	BFI/NeuroFB/RelaxLeft
osc_relax_right	BFI/NeuroFB/RelaxRight
osc_relax_avg	BFI/NeuroFB/RelaxAvg
osc_heart_bpm	BFI/Biometrics/HeartBeatsPerMinute
osc_heart_bps	BFI/Biometrics/HeartBeatsPerSecond
osc_oxygen_percent	BFI/Biometrics/OxygenPercent
osc_respiration_bpm	BFI/Biometrics/BreathsPerMinute
osc_band_power_left_alpha	BFI/PwrBands/Left/Alpha
osc_band_power_left_beta	BFI/PwrBands/Left/Beta
osc_band_power_left_theta	BFI/PwrBands/Left/Theta
osc_band_power_left_delta	BFI/PwrBands/Left/Delta
osc_band_power_left_gamma	BFI/PwrBands/Left/Gamma
osc_band_power_right_alpha	BFI/PwrBands/Right/Alpha
osc_band_power_right_beta	BFI/PwrBands/Right/Beta
osc_band_power_right_theta	BFI/PwrBands/Right/Theta
osc_band_power_right_delta	BFI/PwrBands/Right/Delta
osc_band_power_right_gamma	BFI/PwrBands/Right/Gamma
osc_band_power_avg_alpha	BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Alpha
osc_band_power_avg_beta	BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Beta
osc_band_power_avg_theta	BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Theta
osc_band_power_avg_delta	BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Delta
osc_band_power_avg_gamma	BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Gamma
osc_battery_lvl	BFI/Info/BatteryLevel
osc_is_connected	BFI/Info/DeviceConnected
osc_time_diff	BFI/Info/SecondsSinceLastUpdate
HueShift	BFI/Addons/HueShift

Parameter Descriptions

Utility

These utility Parameters give basic information about your device and BFiVRC

Parameter	Description	Type
BFI/Info/VersionMajor	The major version number of current parameter schema	Int
BFI/Info/VersionMinor	The minor version number of current parameter schema	Int
BFI/Info/SecondsSinceLastUpdate	The refresh rate of BFiVRCs data stream	Float
BFI/Info/DeviceConnected	The connection status of your device to BFiVRC	Bool
BFI/Info/BatterySupported	If your device supports sending battery status to BFiVRC	Bool
BFI/Info/BatteryLevel	The current charge status of your devices battery	Float

Neurofeedback

These Parameters are calculated based on your current mental state and make use of the full signed positive and negative float range.

Parameter	Description	Type	Range
BFI/NeuroFB/FocusLeft	Left Unfocused to Focused	Float	[-1.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/FocusRight	Right Unfocused to Focused	Float	[-1.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/FocusAvg	Unfocused to Focused	Float	[-1.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/RelaxLeft	Left Excited to Relaxed	Float	[-1.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/RelaxRight	Right Excited to Relaxed	Float	[-1.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/RelaxAvg	Excited to Relaxed	Float	[-1.0, 1.0]

These are the same Neurofeedback scores remapped to the positive 0 to 1 range for cases where it may be required.

Parameter	Description	Type	Range
BFI/NeuroFB/FocusLeftPos	Left Unfocused to Focused	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/FocusRightPos	Right Unfocused to Focused	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/FocusAvgPos	Unfocused to Focused	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/RelaxLeftPos	Left Excited to Relaxed	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/RelaxRightPos	Right Excited to Relaxed	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/NeuroFB/RelaxAvgPos	Excited to Relaxed	Float	[0.0, 1.0]

PowerBand

These Parameters give the power value for the common frequency bands used in EEG measurements, measured per location. For more information on what each power band means, read more about it here: What are Brainwaves

Parameter	Description	Type	Range
BFI/PwrBands/Left/Alpha	Left brainwaves Alpha band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Right/Alpha	Right brainwaves Alpha band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Alpha	Brainwaves Alpha band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Left/Beta	Left brainwaves Beta band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Right/Beta	Right brainwaves Beta band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Beta	Brainwaves Beta band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Left/Theta	Left brainwaves Theta band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Right/Theta	Right brainwaves Theta band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Theta	Brainwaves Theta band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Left/Delta	Left brainwaves Delta band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Right/Delta	Right brainwaves Delta band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Delta	Brainwaves Delta band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Left/Gamma	Left brainwaves Gamma band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Right/Gamma	Right brainwaves Gamma band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/PwrBands/Avg/Gamma	Brainwaves Gamma band	Float	[0.0, 1.0]

Addons

These Parameters are additional functions of BFiVRC

Parameter	Description	Type	Range
BFI/Addons/Hueshift	This Parameter uses combinations of relax/focus to drive a single float Parameter for material fx	Float	[0.0, 1.0]

Biometrics

These Parameters read other biometric data from your device if supported by your hardware

Parameter	Description	Type	Range
BFI/Biometrics/Supported	If your hardware supports heart rate and respiration readouts	Bool	True/False
BFI/Biometrics/HeartBeatsPerSecond	Your heartrate calculated per second	Float	[0.0, inf)
BFI/Biometrics/HeartBeatsPerMinute	Your heartrate calculated per minute	Int	[0, 255]
BFI/Biometrics/OxygenPercent	Percentage of oxygen in blood	Float	[0.0, 1.0]
BFI/Biometrics/BreathsPerSecond	Estimated breaths taken per second	Float	[0.0, inf)
BFI/Biometrics/BreathsPerMinute	Estimated breaths taken per minute	Int	[0, 255]

Debugging

To make it easier to debug, add --debug launch argument. This will enable the console to display debug messages for all OSC messages sent as well as make the parameter names shorter so that they are readable on VRChat's OSC debug panel as well as any other OSC displays.

Thanks

Thanks to

• @Mitzi_DelverVRC and AartHark for help with PPG signal work.
• @wordweaver1001 for intial user testing.
• AtriusX for helping create a parameter schema.
• Hosomi, Eni, AtriusX, Rantis for development and testing of the action classification model and integration.

Troubleshooting

• I have broken Bluetooth adapter built into my pc and I would like to use a dongle instead. How can I connect my headband to that dongle?

  1. Disconnect the Bluetooth dongle you want to use
  2. Search up 'Device Manager' on the Start Menu
  3. Find an entry for a Bluetooth radio, right click on it and disable it
  4. Plug the new Bluetooth dongle back in

• Muse Headband connects just fine but times out after a few seconds. Solution: Reset the headband

  1. Turn off the headband
  2. Press and hold the power button until it turns on. Keep pressing until the light changes.
  3. Reconnect.

• I've set up everything and made a new avatar, but its still not reacting

  • Reason: VRChat stores cached OSC parameters for your avatar that aren't updated when the avatar is updated with new parameters
  • Solution: Go to C:\Users\<YOUR USERNAME HERE>\AppData\LocalLow\VRChat\VRChat\OSC and delete all folders under it, then reload avatar

• If Python doesn't seem to be recognized, this is a Windows 10/11 issue

  • Solution: For steps 5 and 8, replace python with py

Community

Feel free to join our community to get additional help, hang out and discuss BCI tech, or to be informed of meetups in vrchat!

License

MIT.