Electroencephalography (EEG) measures the electrical activity of the brain when hundreds to thousands of neurons are activated simultaneously. While EEG is currently only used for research and clinical purposes, EEG is unique among neuromonitoring methods for its potential to be integrated into wearable technologies. Like other forms of non-invasive neuromonitoring, EEG measurements reflect an unknown mixture of brain signals and noise that originates both within and outside the body. Among these noise sources, electrical currents from the eyes are particularly problematic because they produce high amplitude artifacts in the EEG that can make it difficult or impossible to identify concurrent neural events. The dominant algorithm for removing these ocular artifacts has been validated using sensor arrangements that are only appropriate for research and clinical applications, which leaves an important knowledge gap with respect to the suitability of these algorithms for data that has been collected using designs that are viable for wearable technologies. The goal of this study is to explore the usefulness of conventional EEG denoising techniques with sensor arrangements that are amenable for deployment in wearable technologies using measurements of auditory, visual, and cognitive neural responses.
Participants will visit the Hearing and Attention Lab for 2 hours and will complete a series of simple tasks while their EEG is recorded from electrodes mounted in an elasticized cap and several sensors that are affixed to the head at other locations (e.g., above and below the eyes). Participants must be between 18 and 35 years of age, and additional eligibility criteria will be communicated via email. An honorarium of $40 is offered for participation. Please contact Dr. Lauren Petley at attentionlab@clarkson.edu to volunteer
