Correlating brain signal to intentional and unintentional changes in brain state
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Publication Number
US-9364163-B2
Publication Date
2016-06-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods of analysis to extract and assess brain data collected from subject animals, including humans, to detect intentional and unintentional brain activity and other unexpected signals are disclosed. These signals are correlated to higher cognitive brain functions or unintended, potentially adverse events, such as a stroke or seizure, and to translation of those signals into defined trigger events or tasks.
Core Innovation
The invention provides methods to detect an intentional brain signal from a subject and to correlate analyzed data to an intentional higher cognitive function. The methods attach at least a single sensor or detector to the subject, obtain data indicative of brain activity, and compute a spectrogram of the data as part of analyzing the data. The analyzing includes normalizing the spectrogram at least once in a time over frequency direction and at least once in a frequency over time direction.
The data are obtained from EEG, EMG, EOG, MEG, ECoG, iEEG, fMRI, LFP, or a peripheral channel modulated by the subject’s intention. Optional analytical refinements include principal component analysis and/or independent component analysis on the normalized spectrogram, clustering, and temporal and spectral fragmentation analyses.
The disclosure also extends spectrogram-based detection to correlating brainwave activity to unintended events. The methods correlate the analyzed data to at least one unintended event and can be used for alarm triggering and/or response to mitigate an unintended event, including epilepsy or seizure and stroke.
Claims Coverage
The consolidated record includes three independent claims. Across these claims, the core coverage centers on spectrogram computation with normalization in both time over frequency and frequency over time, followed by correlation either to an intentional higher cognitive function or to at least one unintended event.
Intentional brain signal detection with normalized spectrogram correlation
A method to detect an intentional brain signal from a subject comprising attaching at least a single sensor to the subject, obtaining data indicative of brain activity, analyzing by computing a spectrogram of the data and normalizing the spectrogram at least once in time over frequency and at least once in frequency over time, and correlating the analyzed data to an intentional higher cognitive function from the subject.
Unintended event correlated brain signal detection with normalized spectrogram
A method to detect a brain signal from a subject correlated with at least one unintended event comprising attaching at least a single sensor to the subject, obtaining data indicative of brainwave activity, analyzing by computing a spectrogram of the data and normalizing the spectrogram at least once in time over frequency and at least once in frequency over time, and correlating the analyzed data to at least one unintended event.
Intentional signal detection using specified detectors and channels
A method to detect an intentional signal from a subject comprising attaching at least one detector capable of detecting the intentional signal to the subject, obtaining data indicative of detected activity using EEG, EMG, EOG, MEG, ECoG, iEEG, LFP, fMRI or a peripheral channel modulated by an intention of the subject, analyzing by computing a spectrogram of the data and normalizing the spectrogram at least once in time over frequency and at least once in frequency over time, and correlating the analyzed data to an intentional higher cognitive function from the subject.
The independent-claim coverage is anchored by computing a spectrogram and performing normalization in both time-over-frequency and frequency-over-time directions, then correlating the analyzed results either to an intentional higher cognitive function or to at least one unintended event.
Stated Advantages
Enables detection of intentional brain signals and correlation to an intentional higher cognitive function from the subject.
Enables detection of brain signals correlated with at least one unintended event.
Supports alarm triggering after correlating analyzed data to unintended events.
Supports identification and correlation of spectrogram features through normalization in both time over frequency and frequency over time.
Provides correlation for a range of signal sources including EEG, EMG, EOG, MEG, ECoG, iEEG, fMRI, LFP, and intention-modulated peripheral channels.
Documented Applications
Non-invasive analysis using single-channel iBrain EEG in an ALS patient to reveal cue-timed high-frequency biomarkers, independent components, temporal fragmentation changes, frequency power relationships, and spectrogram separability using KS testing.
Detecting unintentional or unexpected events such as epilepsy or seizure and stroke for triggering alarms and/or stimulation or response.
Correlating analyzed spectrogram data to task outputs tied to higher cognitive functions, including simulating speech on a display, simulating speech with a voice synthesizer, or moving an artificial prosthesis.
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