BCIwiki (bciwiki.com) — According to the Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, an exploratory study conducted by the centre was uploaded to bioRxiv on September 16, 2026. The preprint has not been peer reviewed. The researchers developed a non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) brain-computer interface (BCI) combining auditory inputs with visual feedback to target phonological processing, or the processing of speech-sound structure, during natural speech listening.
The system was developed with the aim of optimizing brain patterns related to phonological development in infants and children, but this initial test involved adults with dyslexia and control adults without dyslexia. Drawing on Temporal Sampling theory, the BCI focused on the theta/delta ratio during natural speech listening, a ratio between two EEG rhythms. Research associated with that theory identifies the ratio as a neural correlate of impaired phonology, not an established cause.
Participants completed 16 BCI sessions and underwent pre- and post-training tests of phonological awareness, single-word reading, and nonword reading. Nonwords are letter strings that are not real words and are used to assess reading skills. BCI learning was assessed both online and offline; offline analysis enabled the removal of more potential EEG artifacts.
Among participants who learned the BCI, including both dyslexic and control participants, offline BCI scores were significantly associated with improvements in nonword reading. BCI learning also showed significant associations with improvements in real-word reading and amplitude rise time discrimination, the ability to distinguish how quickly a sound's amplitude rises. The authors interpret the data through Temporal Sampling theory. These are associations, not evidence that BCI training caused the reading gains, and they do not establish efficacy in infants or children.