Movement Decoding from EEG: Target or Direction?

Arm movements have already been decoded non-invasively from electroencephalography (EEG) signals. In this study we analyzed whether the target or the movement direction of the arm can be decoded from the EEG. Ten healthy subjects executed right arm movements to one out of two targets and simultaneously received feedback on a computer screen. We then inverted the feedback movements to analyze if the EEG carries information about the target or about the movement direction. We found two groups, one encoding the target and one encoding first the movement direction followed by the target. These findings are relevant for the development of future motor neuroprostheses and non-invasive robotic arm control.