Neural state monitoring via auditory evoked potentials in Ear EEG

As part of a multi-disciplinary research initiative, in which ear EEG will be used to derive bio-markers of performance and decision making in a multi-task driving simulator environment [10], the feasibility of phase information from ASSR being used in the context of neural state evaluation and prediction can be tested. Below is the experimental structure to be followed:

Experiment 1
Verification of ASSR phase synchrony measurement from ear EEG under cognitive workload tests.
Research question of interest: Can the phase synchrony modulation of ASSR be detected from the ear?
Experiment details: Participants will be asked to complete a set of N-back memory tasks of increasing complexity, while the ASSR is recorded. Phase properties of the ear and scalp ASSR will be analysed to probe correlations with cognitive workload.

Experiment 2
A study of performance enhancements in the driving simulator environment
Research question of interest: What is the effect of multi-sensory performance enhancements on cognitive workload, physiological signals variability and performance of the participant?
Experiment details: Subjects will be provided with combinations of visual/auditory aids and their impact over performance will be analysed.

Experiment 3
Measure the ASSR of a subject in the driving simulator environment
Research question of interest: Does the ASSR reflect changes in cognitive workload?
Experiment details:The ASSR will be recorded whilst the difficulty and complexity of primary, secondary and tertiary tasks are increased in a set of experiments, in the absence of performance enhancing aids.

Experiment 4
Measure the ASSR of a participant in the driving simulator environment
Research question of interest: Does the ASSR reflect changes in mental fatigue?
Experiment details: The ASSR will be recorded whilst mental fatigue is induced in the participant during the same protocol used in Experiment 2.

Experiment 5
Close the loop in the driving simulator environment
Research question of interest: Can the workload be altered as a function of the current state of the driver to improve their performance?
Experiment details: The experimental environment will be the same as in Experiment 1 and 3, with the inclusion of a closed-loop system able to identify the level of cognitive workload experienced by the driver and act upon it.