Systems and methods for assessing and improving sustained attention
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10342472-B2
Publication Date
2019-07-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and method for assessing and training the quality of attentional awareness and control of an individual. The individual's attention is monitored using a neurophysiological system such as EEG while using a computer system and display that provides signals that allow the correlation of behavioral measures of attention with neurophysiological measures. The combination of those signals is a novel, accurate and reliable system for assessing any individual's true attention capabilities.
Core Innovation
The invention is directed to a computerized attention testing system having an EEG sensor, an input device and an output device, for measuring sustained attention capability. During a sustained time period, the system provides a first viewable area to be attended, wherein the first area flickers at a first frequency, and a second viewable area to be ignored, wherein the second area flickers at a second frequency, enabling target-related attention to be separated from ignored-distractor attention in the same time period.
The system provides at least one of a target and a distractor using the output device, and the user is instructed to respond to the target and also instructed to ignore the distractor. The method includes measuring infra-slow fluctuation of reaction time of the user to the target substantially over the time period using an input device, and in parallel measures an infra-slow fluctuation of SSVEP (Steady State Visual Evoked Potentials) of the user during the time period using a neural scanner.
The attention capability measure is computed by correlating the infra-slow fluctuation of reaction time with the infra-slow fluctuation of SSVEP of the user. By combining simultaneous reaction-time and SSVEP infra-slow fluctuations during sustained attended and ignored processing, the invention characterizes attention capability through a correlation-based measure of attended-target processing and ignored-distractor processing.
Claims Coverage
The relevant independent claim covers a computerized sustained attention testing method that uses different-frequency flickering output areas for attended target versus ignored distractor, while simultaneously measuring infra-slow reaction-time fluctuation and infra-slow SSVEP fluctuation, and correlating them to compute an attention capability measure.
Flickering attended and ignored output areas at different frequencies
providing a first viewable area of an output device to be attended during a sustained time period, the first area flickering at a first frequency; providing a second viewable area to be ignored during the time period, the second area flickering at a second frequency
Target response and distractor ignoring using the flickering output device
providing at least one of a target and a distractor using the output device, the user instructed to respond to the target and also instructed to ignore the distractor
Parallel measurement of infra-slow reaction time fluctuation and infra-slow SSVEP fluctuation
measuring at least one infra-slow fluctuation of reaction time of the user to the target substantially over the time period using an input device; measuring an infra-slow fluctuation of SSVEP (Steady State Visual Evoked Potentials) of the user during the time period using a neural scanner
Correlation-based attention capability measure from reaction-time and SSVEP infra-slow fluctuations
computing a measure of attention capability of the user by correlating the at least one infra-slow fluctuation of reaction time with the infra-slow fluctuation of SSVEP of the user
Across the provided independent claim, the core claim coverage centers on frequency-tagged flickering attended and ignored areas, simultaneous measurement of infra-slow reaction-time fluctuations and infra-slow SSVEP fluctuations, and computing an attention capability measure by correlating those infra-slow fluctuations.
Stated Advantages
Allows measurement of infra-slow fluctuation of SSVEP during a sustained time period while the user attends a target and ignores a distractor.
Allows measurement of infra-slow fluctuation of reaction time to the target substantially over the time period.
Provides a measure of attention capability computed by correlating reaction-time infra-slow fluctuation with infra-slow SSVEP infra-slow fluctuation.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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