A comprehensive assessment of Brain Computer Interfaces: Recent trends and challenges

• Survey of various scientific advancements associated with BCI technology. • Analysis of BCI applications in the embryonic and bourgeoning biosphere. • Exploration of BCI challenges to nurture its diagnostic & investigative competence. • Future recommendations to enhance BCI applications in medical & non-medical areas. An uninterrupted channel of communication and control between the human brain and electronic processing units has led to an increased use of Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs). This article attempts to present an all-encompassing review on BCI and the scientific advancements associated with it. The ultimate goal of this review is to provide a general overview of the BCI technology and to shed light on different aspects of BCIs. This review also underscores the applications, practical challenges and opportunities associated with BCI technology, which can be used to accelerate future developments in this field. This review is based on a systematic literature search for tracking down the relevant research annals and proceedings. Using a methodical search strategy, the search was carried out across major technical databases. The retrieved records were screened for their relevance and a total of 369 research chronicles were engulfed in this review based on the inclusion criteria. This review describes the present scenario and recent advancements in BCI technology. It also identifies several application areas of BCI technology. This comprehensive review provides evidence that, while we are getting ever closer, significant challenges still exist for the development of BCIs that can seamlessly integrate with the user’s biological system. The findings of this review confirm the importance of BCI technology in various applications. It is concluded that BCI technology, still in its sprouting phase, requires significant explorations for further development.