Method for determining positive and negative emotional states by electroencephalogram (EEG)

• US 6,021,346 A
• Filed: 07/23/1998
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Ryu, Chang Su, Park, Seon Hee, Kim, Seung Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Application Number:
  US09/121,353
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 600/544, 600/545, 600/300, 600/301
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms

Abstract

The present invention to provide a method for determining positive and negative emotional states by using a relative power in a subband of a specific frequency band increases or decreases in the course of time. In order to realize the above object, the present invention determines positive and negative emotional states by using a relative power in a subband of a specific frequency band increases or decreases with the lapse of time. The present invention performs a Fourier transform for a unit time not an entire response time regarding a stimulus, and can be used in real time by using a time-frequency analysis method continuously executed with the lapse of time.

Claims

1. A method for determining positive and negative emotional states of a subject with an electroencephalogram (EEG) which uses a Fourier transform, comprising the steps of:

a. performing a fast Fourier transform on an EEG signal measured by an electrode attached to a scalp of the subject during a specific unit of time;

b. dividing a specific frequency band of the Fourier-transformed EEG signal from step a. into subbands and calculating a relative power;

c. repeating steps a. and b. and calculating the relative power relative to time in the subbands;

d. performing a smoothing operation for obtaining an average value of the relative power measured in step c. and neighboring data, thereby ignoring fluctuations within short periods of time;

e. calculating a slope as a function of time using a least square fit for the smoothed data of step d.;

f. introducing a threshold value into the slope calculated in step e. and determining an increase or decrease against time in response to the threshold value of the slope calculated in step e.;

g. determining an emotional state as a negative emotional state if a low frequency component having the slope in step e. decreases during step f. or if a high frequency component having the slope in step e. increases during step f.; and

h. determining an emotional state as a positive emotional state when the low frequency component increases in step f. or the high frequency component decreases in step f.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step a. comprises setting a position of the electrode to one of F4 or F3 in the 10-20 international electrode placement system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step b. comprises selecting an α

-wave (8-13 Hz) as the specific frequency band, the α

-wave being insensitive to artifacts including an eye blink, eye movement, and an electromyogram (EMG).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step b. comprises dividing the specific frequency band into subbands A (8-9 Hz), B (9-10 Hz), C (10-11 Hz), and D (11-12 Hz), obtaining spectral powers P_A, P_B, P_C , and P_D from respective subbands A, B, C, and D and dividing the spectral powers P_A, P_B, P_C , and P_D by a total power P_A +P_B +P_C +P_D of the specific frequency band for calculating the relative power.