An Approach to Simultaneous Acquisition of Real-Time MRI Video, EEG, and Surface EMG for Articulatory, Brain, and Muscle Activity During Speech Production

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel multimodal acquisition framework capturing real-time MRI, EEG, and EMG simultaneously during speech production, enabling comprehensive analysis of neural, muscular, and articulatory processes.

Contribution

It presents the first simultaneous acquisition method for MRI, EEG, and EMG during speech, along with an artifact suppression pipeline for this complex setup.

Findings

Successful simultaneous recording of MRI, EEG, and EMG during speech

Development of artifact suppression techniques for multimodal data

Potential to advance speech neuroscience and brain-computer interfaces

Abstract

Speech production is a complex process spanning neural planning, motor control, muscle activation, and articulatory kinematics. While the acoustic speech signal is the most accessible product of the speech production act, it does not directly reveal its causal neurophysiological substrates. We present the first simultaneous acquisition of real-time (dynamic) MRI, EEG, and surface EMG, capturing several key aspects of the speech production chain: brain signals, muscle activations, and articulatory movements. This multimodal acquisition paradigm presents substantial technical challenges, including MRI-induced electromagnetic interference and myogenic artifacts. To mitigate these, we introduce an artifact suppression pipeline tailored to this tri-modal setting. Once fully developed, this framework is poised to offer an unprecedented window into speech neuroscience and insights leading to brain-computer interface advances.