Bridging the gap between eye movements and event-related potentials

In this project we will measure the brain activity of subjects searching for hidden targets in crowded scenes (e.g. Waldo in the Where's Waldo game). Neuronal activity will be registered non-invasively with an electroencephalographic (EEG) system. Simultaneously, the subject's gaze will be recorded with an eye tracker. This combined methodology will represent a shift in the way conventional EEG paradigms are performed, where eye movements are minimised and experimental conditions are fully controlled by the experimenter. We propose to combine eye tracking and EEG to gain new insights into the neuronal underpinning of visual search. By merging both technologies, we will be able to study brain activity under naturalistic conditions where the subject decides where and how to explore a scene. Moreover, we will optimise different methodologies to assess and reduce the impact of eye movements on the EEG signal. Overall, this project has multiple areas of application including defence and the health-care sector.

The proposed research has the potential to have a wide impact over multiple application domains: The proposed methodology to obtain and analyse concurrent EEG and eye movements recordings will be considered for patent submission, directly benefiting the University of Leicester and increasing the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom. A possible collaboration with NHS will be looked for to apply the methods developed during this project. This would benefit patients and healthcare practitioners. Visual search is a task of great importance appearing in diverse fields. For example, the military industry has multiple needs for aerial reconnaissance. The single-trial analysis of ERPs where subjects are allowed to change their gaze can improve the performance of subjects in time demanding decision-making tasks. This can potentially be relevant for national security. The proposed research's main ideas are easily comprehensible. This key fact will be used for reaching the general audience through several events for public engagement. This will contribute to increasing public awareness and understanding of science.