Rendering Stimuli for SSVEP-BCI and Attention Tracking with Blinker

A. Chabudaa, M. Dovgialoa, b, A. Duszykc, J. Żygierewicza, M. Pawliszb, P. Durkaa, b aUniversity of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics, L. Pasteura 5, PL-02093 Warsaw, Poland bBrainTech Ltd., Puławska 12/3, PL-02566 Warsaw, Poland cUniversity of Social Sciences and Humanities, Faculty of Psychology, Chodakowska 19/31, PL-03093 Warsaw, Poland

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Brain-computer interfaces based on steady-state visual evoked potentials are currently the fastest systems for non-muscular communication, based directly on brain activity. Steady-state visual evoked potentials are evoked by a flashing light. Higher frequencies (above 30 Hz), preferred for safety and comfort, cannot be reliably generated on a standard computer display. In this paper, we present and verify a complete solution, based upon a previously proposed proof of concept, which allows for highlighting an arbitrary area of the screen by LEDs flickering at strictly controlled frequencies. To validate the proposed solution in the original context of non-muscular communication, we extended our previous, general study on ``brain-computer interfaces illiteracy'' to include 49 subjects, which resulted in a second-largest study of high frequency steady-state visual evoked potential-based brain-computer interface. In relation to the available literature on this topic, briefly reviewed in this paper, the presented results are the most promising in terms of combined percent of successful communication among users, accuracy and the significance of estimates. It suggests that the proposed approach and device are ready for applications, opening new possibilities not only in ergonomic design of brain-computer interfaces, but also in related fields like psychophysiological or neuromarketing research involving attention control, by tracing user's attention assigned to an arbitrary area of the screen.

DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.139.426 topics: EEG, SSVEP, BCI, Blinker