Exploring HCI & BCI with NeuroPlayGround Lite

by Rup Jyoti Bharadwaj, Deepak Khatri, Krishnanshu Mittal, Anuranan Kakati

Project Tutorials

Neuro PlayGround Lite, with its multi-channel BioAmp, wireless connectivity, battery operation, and expansion interface, empowers users to create innovative HCI and BCI applications with ease. We’ve developed a series of projects leveraging ECG, EMG, EOG, and EEG signals to inspire you—though the possibilities extend far beyond these examples!

TL;DR – Quick Project Links

Make Muscular Music (EMG):
- YouTube Demo
- Instructables Guide
Track Your Ticker (ECG):
- YouTube Demo
- Instructables Guide
Jump In the Blink of an Eye (EOG):
- YouTube Demo
- Instructables Guide
Pop Bubbles With Your Mind (EEG):
- YouTube Demo
- Instructables Guide

Hardware Setup

Before starting any project, make sure your NPG Lite is running the Chords BLE firmware. Here’s how to flash it:

We’ll use the NPG Lite Flasher, a user-friendly tool to flash firmware onto your ESP32-based NPG Lite.

Download the Flasher:

Download the NPG Lite Flasher from: github.com/upsidedownlabs/NPG-Lite-Flasher
Install and launch the application

Flash the Firmware:

Connect your NPG Lite via USB-C cable
Select BLE firmware (required for these projects).
Identify the correct port
Click "Flash"

After Flashing:

Unplug the NPG Lite from your laptop
Disconnect the laptop's charger to minimize AC noise

LED Status Indicators (Chords BLE Firmware):

🔴 Red LED: Device is powered on but disconnected
🟢 Green LED: Device is connected to Chords interface
🔵 Blue LED: Device is connected and actively streaming data

Haptic Feedback (VibZ/VibZ+ Playmates):

Single vibration: Device successfully connected
Double vibration: Device disconnected

Alternative: Uploading Firmware Using Arduino IDE

Go to the Chords BLE Firmware for NPG Lite.
Click the copy button on the top right of the code to copy the sketch.
Install Arduino IDE and open a new sketch via File → New Sketch.
Delete the existing code (select all with Ctrl+A) and paste the BLE sketch (Ctrl+V).
Go to the board manager by clicking on the 2nd icon on the left side or Tools → Board → Board Manager
Search for "ESP32" and install "ESP32 by Espressif Systems" (do not install the Arduino ESP32 boards).
Now go to Tools → Board → esp32 → Select ESP32C6 Dev Moudule
Press Ctrl+Shift+I to open the library manager.
Search for "Adafruit NeoPixel" and install the library.
Hit the upload button (➜ on the top left).

1. Make Muscular Music

A human-computer interface (HCI) using 3-channel EMG data to detect muscle signals from the left hand, right hand, and chest, controlling virtual musical instruments. Each muscle contraction triggers a distinct sound effect—turning your body into an organic orchestra!

Learn More:

2. Track Your Heartbeat

Capture electrocardiogram (ECG) signals to calculate heart rate using NPG Lite, and display results in real time on a mobile phone via Bluetooth LE and a Chrome-based browser.

Learn More:

3. Jump In the Blink of an Eye

Control a game simply by blinking! This setup detects EOG signals from the eyes, sends data over Bluetooth LE to your PC, and emulates a spacebar keystroke when a blink is detected. You can configure the code to simulate other keystrokes as well.

Learn More:

4. Pop Bubbles With Your Mind

A brain-computer interface (BCI) application that uses EEG signals to operate an interactive bubble-popping game in a web browser. The system identifies beta wave activity (12–30 Hz) to measure concentration and attention. Bubbles pop as you focus—and stop when your concentration wanes.