Neuro-physiology and neuro-behavioral based stimulus targeting system

• US 8,392,253 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Pradeep, Anantha, Knight, Robert T., Gurumoorthy, Ramachandran
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trotter, Scott S
• Application Number:
  US12/122,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.41, 705/14.66
• US Class Current: 705/14.42
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1176 Recognition of faces
• 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 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4017 Evaluating sense of taste
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4035 Evaluating the autonomic nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0271 Personalized advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires

Abstract

A system performs stimulus targeting using neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data. Subjects are exposed to stimulus material such as marketing and entertainment materials and data is collected using mechanisms such as Electroencephalography (EEG), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electrocardiograms (EKG), Electrooculography (EOG), eye tracking, and facial emotion encoding. Neuro-physiological and neuro-behavioral data collected is analyzed to select targeted stimulus materials. The targeted stimulus materials are provided to particular subjects for a variety of purposes.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a data collector to obtain first neuro-response data from a first frequency band measured in a first hemisphere and second neuro-response data from a second frequency band measured in a second hemisphere of a brain of a subject exposed to one or more of an advertisement or entertainment, and the first frequency band and the second frequency band being respectively representative of brain activity occurring at a same time;

a processor configured to;

determine a coordination between the first neuro-response data and the second neuro-response, wherein the coordination includes a measure of asymmetry between the first frequency band and the second frequency band, the asymmetry identified by;

detecting a first amplitude of the first frequency band;

detecting a second amplitude of the second frequency band; and

comparing the first amplitude and the second amplitude to determine a difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second frequency band; and

assign an asymmetry value to the relationship between the first frequency band and the second frequency band based on the difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second frequency band;

a response integrator comprising a processor configured to combine the asymmetry value and data representative of a first attribute of the first advertisement or entertainment to generate selection information; and

a selector to select a second advertisement or entertainment for presentation to the subject based on the selection information and data representative of a second attribute of the second advertisement or entertainment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first neuro-response data includes one or more of central nervous system, autonomic nervous system data or effector data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first neuro-response data is representative of at least one of attention, emotion or memory retention.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first advertisement or entertainment is to be delivered via a first media channel and the second advertisement or entertainment is to be delivered via a second media channel.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first entertainment is an electronic game having default levels and choices and the second entertainment is the electronic game having custom levels and choices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first advertisement or entertainment is a media stream having a default message and the second advertisement or entertainment is the media stream having a personalized message.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first neuro-response data and the second neuro-response data are obtained from a first modality, the data collector is to obtain third neuro-response data from a second modality different than the first modality, and the response integrator is to generate the selection information based on the third neuro-response data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the response integrator is to one or more of align or combine the third neuro-response data with at least one of the first neuro-response data or the second neuro-response data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the response integrator is to one or more of time shift or phase shift one or more of the first neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data or the third neuro-response data to align the third neuro-response data with at least one of the first neuro-response data or the second neuro-response data.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the third neuro-response data includes one of galvanic skin response data, electrocardiogram data, pupilary dilation data eye tracking data or electrooculography data.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first frequency band and the second frequency band are different.

12. A method, comprising:

obtaining first neuro-response data from a first frequency band measured in a first hemisphere and second neuro-response data from a second frequency band measured in a second hemisphere of a brain of a subject exposed to one or more of an advertisement or entertainment, and the first frequency band and the second frequency band being respectively representative of brain activity occurring at a same time;

determining a measure of asymmetry between the first frequency band and the second frequency band, the asymmetry determined by;

detecting a first amplitude of the first frequency band;

detecting a second amplitude of the second frequency band; and

determining a difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second frequency band;

assigning an asymmetry value to the relationship between the first frequency band and the second frequency band based on the difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second frequency band;

using a processor to combine the asymmetry value and data representative of a first attribute of the first advertisement or entertainment to generate selection information; and

selecting a second advertisement or entertainment for presentation to the subject based on the selection information and data representative of a second attribute of the second advertisement or entertainment.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first neuro-response data includes one or more of central nervous system, autonomic nervous system data or effector data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first neuro-response data is representative of at least one of attention, emotion or memory retention.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first advertisement or entertainment is to be delivered via a first media channel and the second advertisement or entertainment is to be delivered via a second media channel, the first and second advertisements being otherwise identical.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the first entertainment is an electronic game having default levels and choices and the second entertainment is the electronic game having custom levels and choices.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first advertisement or entertainment is a media stream having a default message and the second advertisement or entertainment is the media stream having a personalized message.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the first neuro-response data and the second neuro-response data are obtained from a first modality and further comprising:

obtaining third neuro-response data from a second modality different than the first modality; and

generating the selection information based on the first, second and third neuro-response data.

19. A tangible machine readable storage device or disc comprising machine readable instructions thereon which, when read, cause a machine to at least:

determine a measure of asymmetry between a first frequency band and a second frequency band of neuro-response data, the first frequency band measured in a first hemisphere of a brain of a subject exposed to one or more of an advertisement or entertainment, and the second frequency band measured in a second hemisphere of the brain, and the first frequency band and the second frequency band being respectively representative of brain activity occurring at a same time, the asymmetry identified by;

detecting a first amplitude of the first frequency band;

detecting a second amplitude of the second frequency band; and

determining a difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second frequency band;

assign an asymmetry value to the relationship between the first frequency band and the second frequency band based on the difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second frequency band;

combine the asymmetry value and data representative of a first attribute of the first advertisement or entertainment to generate selection information; and

select a second advertisement or entertainment for presentation to the subject based on the selection information and data representative of a second attribute of the second advertisement or entertainment.

20. The machine readable device or disc of claim 19, wherein the first neuro-response data includes one or more of central nervous system, autonomic nervous system data or effector data.

21. The machine readable device or disc of claim 19, wherein the first neuro-response data is representative of at least one of attention, emotion or memory retention.

22. The machine readable device or disc of claim 19, wherein the first neuro-response data and the second neuro-response data are obtained from a first modality and further causing the machine to:

obtain third neuro-response data from a second modality different than the first modality; and

generate the selection information based on the first, second and third neuro-response data.

23. The machine readable device or disc of claim 22, wherein the third neuro-response data includes one of galvanic skin response data, electrocardiogram data, pupilary dilation data eye tracking data or electrooculography data.