The VEP Booster: A Closed-Loop AI System for Visual EEG Biomarker Auto-generation

TL;DR

This paper introduces the VEP Booster, a closed-loop AI system that enhances the stability and reliability of EEG biomarkers for visual brain-machine interfaces by tailoring visual stimuli based on real-time EEG feedback.

Contribution

The VEP Booster is a novel closed-loop AI framework that dynamically refines visual stimuli to improve EEG biomarker stability, addressing individual variability and non-stationarity issues.

Findings

Significant increase in SSVEP response reliability, up to 105%.

Average improvement in EEG biomarker utility was 76.5%.

Effective targeting of V1 neurons enhances visual stimulus responses.

Abstract

Effective visual brain-machine interfaces (BMI) is based on reliable and stable EEG biomarkers. However, traditional adaptive filter-based approaches may suffer from individual variations in EEG signals, while deep neural network-based approaches may be hindered by the non-stationarity of EEG signals caused by biomarker attenuation and background oscillations. To address these challenges, we propose the Visual Evoked Potential Booster (VEP Booster), a novel closed-loop AI framework that generates reliable and stable EEG biomarkers under visual stimulation protocols. Our system leverages an image generator to refine stimulus images based on real-time feedback from human EEG signals, generating visual stimuli tailored to the preferences of primary visual cortex (V1) neurons and enabling effective targeting of neurons most responsive to stimuli. We validated our approach by implementing a system and employing steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) visual protocols in five human subjects. Our results show significant enhancements in the reliability and utility of EEG biomarkers for all individuals, with the largest improvement in SSVEP response being 105%, the smallest being 28%, and the average increase being 76.5%. These promising results have implications for both clinical and technological applications