Anticipation- and error-related EEG signals during realistic human-machine interaction: A study on visual and tactile feedback

Abstract

Abstract-The exploitation of EEG signatures of cognitive processes can provide valuable information to improve interaction with brain actuated devices. In this work we study these correlates in a realistic situation simulated in a virtual reality environment. We focus on cortical potentials linked to the anticipation of future events (i.e. the contingent negative variation, CNV) and error-related potentials elicited by both visual and tactile feedback. Experiments with 6 subjects show brain activity consistent with previous studies using simpler stimuli, both at the level of ERPs and single trial classification. Moreover, we observe comparable signals irrespective of whether the subject was required to perform motor actions. Altogether, these results support the possibility of using these signals for practical brain machine interaction.

Decoding fast-paced error-related potentials in monitoring protocols

“…They complement studies showing that these signals are stable across time [4], feedback modalities [13] and experimental protocols [14]. Further work is nonetheless required to demonstrate if this robustness actually translates into more reliable BMI applications.…”

Spatial filters yield stable features for error-related potentials across conditions

“…The feasibility of performing single-trial recognition of ErrPs has been demonstrated in different paradigms and setups, including P300 spellers [7], Motor-imagery BCI [6], human-robot interaction [9], [8], and car driving [10]. Noticeably these signals, linked to cognitive monitoring processes, have also been reported to be rather stable across different recording days [11], and feedback characteristics [12], [9].…”

“…Noticeably these signals, linked to cognitive monitoring processes, have also been reported to be rather stable across different recording days [11], and feedback characteristics [12], [9]. As a matter of fact, they are not strongly modulated by the stimulus presentation rate [13], although they may vary depending on factors such as the predictability of the stimulus [14] These studies typically compare the signal across different conditions without assessing the classification performance across different experimental conditions (i.e., generalisation across days or feedback presentation speeds).…”

Detection of anticipatory brain potentials during car driving

“…This signal, which typically lasts from about 300 ms to several seconds with magnitudes up to 50µV has been termed contingent negative variation (CNV) potential [6].This potential has been linked to the preparatory processing required for appropriate actions at the arrival of future events [7], [8]. Nevertheless, apart from few examples [9], [10], [12], these potentials have been studied using simple procols and stimlui.…”