Household wireless electroencephalogram hat

Recently single trial classification of Event Related Potentials (ERPs) has received much attention to improve Brain Computer Interface (BCI) systems. BCI is one of the most recent fields in computer science which tries to help handicapped people; however, single trial EEG analysis is hard due to its low Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR). Many BCI systems are based on the analysis of ERPs such as P300. P300 is a positive peak that occurs approximately 300ms after a visual stimulus. But electrical potentials produced by blinks and eye movements cause serious problems in analyzing of EEG data. In this paper, a two stage algorithm is presented to detect P300 waves in single trial conditions in the presence of noise and artifact. In the first stage, the raw EEG data are denoised. For this reason, an ICA-wavelet based denoising method is proposed to automatically remove ocular artifact and it is also compared to other denoising methods. In the second stage, a detection algorithm is applied on denoised EEG data in order to discover P300 waves. In this method, a set of new features are extracted by applying ICA on each unknown incoming signal and finally they are classified using a neural network. The proposed method has been tested on more than 10 runs and an average accuracy of 71.5% in these runs is achieved in detecting P300 waves.

Validating and improving the correction of ocular artifacts in electro-encephalography

Online artifact rejection, feature extraction, and pattern recognition are essential to advance the Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology so as to be practical for real-world applications. The goals of BCI system should be a small size, rugged, lightweight, and have low power consumption to meet the requirements of wearability, portability, and durability. This study proposes and implements a moving-windowed Independent Component Analysis (ICA) on a battery-powered, miniature, embedded BCI. This study also tests the embedded BCI on simulated and real EEG signals. Experimental results indicated that the efficacy of the online ICA decomposition is comparable with that of the offline version of the same algorithm, suggesting the feasibility of ICA for online analysis of EEG in a BCI. To demonstrate the feasibility of the wearable embedded BCI, this study also implements an online spectral analysis to the resultant component activations to continuously estimate subject's task performance in near real time.

Robust estimation of event-related potentials via particle filter

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) provide direct and non-muscular communication methods for the people with severe motor impairments. Event-related potentials (ERPs) as efficient modals are commonly used in some of the BCI systems, including visual stimulus, auditory stimulus as well as tactile stimulus. In this experiment, the corresponding Chinese pronunciations were inserted into the visual Oddball series of 1–9 numbers to carry out the cross-sense stimuli of BCI. The experimental data analysis result proves that the P300 components produced by visual-auditory associate stimulation have higher amplitudes and shorter latencies than those produced by visual-only stimulus. For further analysis the constrained independent component analysis (cICA) method was applied when extracting the signal features of ERP and the support vector machine (SVM) method was used to BCI classification. Result proves that the ERPs produced by visual-auditory associate stimulation modal have better recognition efficiency than those in visual-only stimulation. It can relevant the capacity of information alteration in BCI and is worth to do more studies.

A new research methodology named Brain Computer Interface (BCI) studies novel human-computer interactions; by means of BCI electronics devices, paralyzed patients are able to interact with the environment using no muscular contractions. This technique provides an external electronics support to all persons with severe motor disabilities, by acquiring in continuous mode the electroencephalogram (EEG) signals and operating some processing to control a computer or other domotics devices. Patients are so allowed to control external devices or to communicate simple messages through the computer, just concentrating their attention either on codified movements or on a letter or icon on a digital keyboard. The use of a customized and optimized spatial filtering technique embedded in the BCI system, based on the detection of the Electroencephalographic activity, improves the accuracy of BCI system itself, thanks to the explicit separation of the signal activity of interest from artefact signals. In this chapter, after an overview of the state-of-the-art research on BCI systems, the spatial filtering problem in EEG signals acquisition will be illustrated. In particular, a spatial filtering algorithm, known as ICA (Independent Component Analysis) and its application will be discussed. Finally, the design and implementation of an embedded system for EEG signals acquisition and real-time processing for BCI applications will be presented. The system is based onto a very performing and reconfigurable hardware platform. Moreover ICA algorithm has been implemented for noise reduction and artifacts removal.

Estimation of the total intensity of electromagnetic background created by GSM-1800 cellular network base stations with spatial density of 3-9 base stations per square kilometer taking into account intrasystem electromagnetic compatibility of the cellular network (levels of intranetwork interference) was executed based on computer modeling of functioning of the cellular network fragment with the use of X3D three-dimensional model of radio wave propagation and three-dimensional model of the fragment of urban area of Minsk. The results are presented for base stations antenna height of 25-35 m, equivalent isotropic radiated power of 33-58 dBm per frequency channel, and for various spatial population density of 6000-12000 people per square kilometer.

In Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) applications, noise presents a persistent challenge, often compromising the quality of EEG signals essential for accurate data interpretation. This paper focuses on optimizing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to improve BCI performance, with channel selection being a key method for achieving this enhancement. The Eye-Bci multimodal dataset is used to address the issue of detecting and eliminating faulty EEG channels caused by non-biological artifacts, such as malfunctioning electrodes and power line interference. The core of this research is the automatic detection of problematic channels through the Adaptive Blink-Correction and DeDrifting (ABCD) algorithm. This method utilizes blink propagation patterns to identify channels affected by artifacts or malfunctions. Additionally, segmented SNR topographies and source localization plots are employed to illustrate the impact of channel removal by comparing Left and Right hand grasp Motor Imagery (MI). Classification accuracy further supports the value of the ABCD algorithm, reaching an average classification accuracy of 93.81% [74.81%; 98.76%] (confidence interval at 95% confidence level) across 31 subjects (63 sessions), significantly surpassing traditional methods such as Independent Component Analysis (ICA) (79.29% [57.41%; 92.89%]) and Artifact Subspace Reconstruction (ASR) (84.05% [62.88%; 95.31%]). These results underscore the critical role of channel selection and the potential of using blink patterns for detecting bad EEG channels, offering valuable insights for improving real-time or offline BCI systems by reducing noise and enhancing signal quality.

Event-related potentials (ERPs) are often used in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for communication or system control for enhancing or regaining control for motor-disabled persons. Especially results from single-trial EEG classification approaches for BCIs support correlations between single-trial ERP detection performance and ERP expression. Hence, BCIs can be considered as a paradigm shift contributing to new methods with strong influence on both neuroscience and clinical applications. Here, we investigate the relevance of the choice of training data and classifier transfer for the interpretability of results from single-trial ERP detection. In our experiments, subjects performed a visual-motor oddball task with motor-task relevant infrequent (targets), motor-task irrelevant infrequent (deviants), and motor-task irrelevant frequent (standards) stimuli. Under dual-task condition, a secondary senso-motor task was performed, compared to the simple-task condition. For evaluation, average ERP analysis and single-trial detection analysis with different numbers of electrodes were performed. Further, classifier transfer was investigated between simple and dual task. Parietal positive ERPs evoked by target stimuli (but not by deviants) were expressed stronger under dual-task condition, which is discussed as an increase of task emphasis and brain processes involved in task coordination and change of task set. Highest classification performance was found for targets irrespective whether all 62, 6 or 2 parietal electrodes were used. Further, higher detection performance of targets compared to standards was achieved under dual-task compared to simple-task condition in case of training on data from 2 parietal electrodes corresponding to results of ERP average analysis. Classifier transfer between tasks improves classification performance in case that training took place on more varying examples (from dual task). In summary, we showed that P300 and overlaying parietal positive ERPs can successfully be detected while subjects are performing additional ongoing motor activity. This supports single-trial detection of ERPs evoked by target events to, e.g., infer a patient's attentional state during therapeutic intervention.

Computer displays emit electromagnetic waves, which compromise the information displayed by the computer. This can be a potential information security threat as the sensitive information can be stolen from a distance without leaving any trace. The video leakage signals contain the information of the image displayed in the computer, so the video leakage signals can be seen as special image signals. However, different from the normal image signal, the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of video leakage signal is low due to the environmental noise and many other man-made noises. In this paper, a novel wavelet based independent component analysis (ICA) method is proposed for improving SNR of computer video leakage signals. By using this method, we can improve the performance of pre-processing of computer video leaking signals. We solve the problem of using Fast ICA in processing video leakage signal by using a wavelet filter. The performance of Fast ICA is improved by working in wavelet domain because of advantages like ease of implementation and less computation time when compared to time domain. We pre-process one-dimensional received signal without reconstructing the image since it is inefficient to reconstruct signal before processing. A direct SNR can't be defined. Therefore, another metric called quasi signal to noise ratio (QSNR) is defined to estimate signal to noise ratio of video leakage signals. The processed results of the actual experimental data show that the proposed wavelet based ICA algorithm has a better performance than the Fast ICA algorithm and the Wavelet denoising algorithm.

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs), also known as brain–machine interfaces (BMIs), translate brain activity into new outputs that replace, restore, enhance, supplement or improve natural brain outputs. BCI research and development has grown rapidly for the past two decades. It is beginning to provide useful communication and control capacities to people with severe neuromuscular disabilities; and it is expanding into new areas such as neurorehabilitation that may greatly increase its clinical impact. At the same time, significant challenges remain, particularly in regard to translating laboratory advances into clinical use.

A brain computer interface (BCI) uses electrophysiological activities of the brain such as natural rhythms and evoked potentials to communicate with some external devices. P300 is a positive evoked potential (EP), elicited approximately 300 ms after an attended external stimulus. A P300-based BCI uses this evoked potential as a means of communication with the external devices. Until now this P300-based BCI has been rather slow, as it is difficult to detect a P300 response without averaging over a number of trials. Previously, independent component analysis (ICA) has been used in the extraction of P300. However, the drawback of ICA is that it extracts not only P300 but also non-P300 related components requiring a proper selection of P300 ICs by the system. In this study we propose an algorithm based on constrained independent component analysis (cICA) for P300 extraction which can extract only the relevant component by incorporating a priori information. A reference signal is generated as this a priori information of P300 and cICA is applied to extract the P300 related component. Then the extracted P300 IC is segmented, averaged, and classified into target and non-target events by means of a linear classifier. The method is fast, reliable, computationally inexpensive as compared to ICA and achieves an accuracy of 98.3% in the detection of P300.

The separate influences of spatial density and housing quality on the behavior of captive animals are difficult to measure because the two factors are often intrinsically linked. Here, we recorded affiliative and agonistic behavior in adult sooty mangabeys in various housing situations, testing spatial density and housing quality changes separately (N = 26 experienced spatial density changes; N = 12 experienced housing quality changes). We varied spatial density by 50% while holding housing quality constant and we varied housing quality while holding spatial density constant (achieved by comparing two types of run-housing that varied in the amount of visual privacy and outdoor access). Each housing condition was one month in duration. Prior to collecting data in each housing condition, we evaluated the subjects' initial responses to the change in housing environment during 2-week novelty periods. Affiliative behavior did not change during the novelty periods. Agonistic behavior initially increased slightly when spatial density increased and it decreased significantly when spatial density decreased; it also decreased when subjects moved to housing that offered more visual privacy and outdoor space, indicating that the mangabeys were sensitive to these housing changes. After the novelty periods, affiliative behavior increased under higher spatial density, but remained unchanged across housing quality conditions; agonistic behavior remained unchanged across all conditions. Results suggest that a prolonged increase in spatial density led the mangabeys to adopt a tension-reduction coping strategy, in which the increase in affiliative behavior alleviates a presumed increase in social tension. Reducing visual privacy and choice did not affect the mangabeys' behavior, post-novelty period. Thus, like many other primates, the mangabeys managed tension by flexibly adapting to changes in their housing environment in ways that reduce the risk of severe aggression. This study highlights the importance of controlled behavioral studies in facilitating data-driven management decisions that promote animal welfare. Am. J. Primatol. 77:1001-1014, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electroencephalograph (EEG) is brain activity measurement technique that it is widely used by placing electrode on the scalp. The EEG recording signals are vulnerably contaminated by noise. Thus, it can lead to misperception in analyzing EEG signals. One of the noise that has major influence on the recorded EEG signals is ocular artifacts (OAs). In this paper, a new method to remove OAs automatically is proposed by combining between Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (CEEMD) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA). CEEMD-ICA-OD removes OAs based on the concentration of noise that is calculated by calculating entropy for every CEEMD decomposition. Every selected decomposition of CEEMD will be used as input to the ICA method. Then, ICA will decompose selected CEEMD decomposition into independent components (ICs). Then, Chauvenet Criterion (CC) as Outlier Detection (OD) method is used to detect OAs pattern. Every detected OAs pattern will be eliminated by zeroing process on OAs pattern so that the EEG signal information remains secure. The proposed method were compared with Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD), Ensemble EMD (EEMD) and Complete EEMD (CEEMD) with zeroing ICA combination for every comparison method. The performance measure of the proposed method and the benchmark method is calculated by using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) to show the performance quality in eliminating OAs. The experiment results show that the proposed method is successfully removing OAs better than the other methods with RMSE value and SNR value are 0.2491 and -0.3449, respectively.

ICA-derived cortical responses indexing rapid multi-feature auditory processing in six-month-old infants