Audience response analysis using simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

• US 8,494,905 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• 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:
  US12/135,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20090030303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.41, 705/14.66
• US Class Current: 705/14.42
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• 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 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements

Abstract

Neuro-response data including Electroencephalography (EEG), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is filtered, analyzed, and combined to evaluate the effectiveness of stimulus materials such as marketing and entertainment materials. A data collection mechanism including multiple modalities such as, Electroencephalography (EEG), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Electrooculography (EOG), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), etc., collects response data from subjects exposed to marketing and entertainment stimuli. A data cleanser mechanism filters the response data and removes cross-modality interference.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a data collector to obtain first electroencephalography data from a first frequency band, second electroencephalography data from a second frequency band different than the first frequency band and occurring at a first period in time, and functional magnetic resonance imaging data from a subject exposed to an advertisement or entertainment;

a filter to remove interference from each of the first electroencephalography data, the second electroencephalography data, and the functional magnetic resonance imaging data;

an intra-modality response synthesizer comprising a processor configured to;

detect a first pattern of oscillation in the first frequency band;

detect a second pattern of oscillation in the second frequency band;

generate, using a processor configured to, a coupling index based on a phase synchrony between the first frequency band and the second frequency band, wherein the phase synchrony is determined by detecting a repeating sequence of relative phase angles between the first pattern of oscillation in the first frequency band and the second pattern of oscillation in the second frequency band; and

a cross-modality response synthesizer to analyze the coupling index and the functional magnetic resonance imaging data to evaluate effectiveness of the advertisement or entertainment at the first period in time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the filter is to remove electroencephalography generated artifacts from the functional magnetic resonance imaging data and to remove functional magnetic resonance imaging generated artifacts from at least one of the first or second electroencephalography data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the cross-modality response synthesizer is to align the functional magnetic resonance imaging data with at least one of the first electroencephalography data or the second electroencephalography data by at least one of time shifting or phase shifting at least one of the first electroencephalography data, the second electroencephalography data or the functional magnetic resonance imaging data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data collector is to obtain electrooculography data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data collector is to obtain eye tracking data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the cross-modality response synthesizer is to align the eye tracking data with at least one of the first electroencephalography data or the second electroencephalography data and to combine the aligned data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the data collector is to obtain galvanic skin response data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the cross-modality response synthesizer is to align the galvanic skin response data with at least one of the first electroencephalography data or the second electroencephalography data and to combine the aligned data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the intra-modality response synthesizer is to combine the first electroencephalography data and the second electroencephalography data to determine single trial evoked information.

10. A method, comprising:

obtaining, with a plurality of sensors, first electroencephalography data from a first frequency band, second electroencephalography data from a second frequency band different than the first frequency band and occurring at a first period in time, and functional magnetic resonance imaging data from a subject exposed to an advertisement or entertainment;

filtering interference from the first electroencephalography data, the second electroencephalography data, and the functional magnetic resonance imaging data;

detecting a first pattern of oscillation in the first frequency band;

detecting a second pattern of oscillation in the second frequency band;

generating, using a processor, a coupling index based on a phase synchrony between the first frequency band and the second frequency band, wherein the phase synchrony is determined by detecting a repeating sequence of relative phase angles between the first pattern of oscillation in the first frequency band and the second pattern of oscillation in the second frequency band; and

analyzing the coupling index and the functional magnetic resonance imaging data to evaluate effectiveness of the advertisement or entertainment at the first period in time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein filtering the interferences comprises:

filtering electroencephalography generated artifacts from the functional magnetic resonance imaging data; and

filtering functional magnetic resonance imaging generated artifacts from at least one of the first or second electroencephalography data.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising aligning the functional magnetic resonance imaging data with at least one of the first electroencephalography data or the second electroencephalography data by at least one of time shifting or phase shifting at least one of the first electroencephalography data, the second electroencephalography data or the functional magnetic resonance imaging data.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising obtaining electrooculography data.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising obtaining eye tracking data.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

aligning the eye tracking data with at least one of the first electroencephalography data or the second electroencephalography data; and

combining the aligned data.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising obtaining galvanic skin response data.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

aligning the galvanic skin response data with at least one of the first electroencephalography data or the second electroencephalography data; and

combining the aligned data.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising combining the first electroencephalography data and the second electroencephalography data to determine single trial evoked information.

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

filter interference from first electroencephalography data obtained from a first frequency band, second electroencephalography data obtained from a second frequency band different than the first frequency band and occurring at same period in time, and functional magnetic resonance imaging data, the first electroencephalography data, the second electroencephalography data and the functional magnetic resonance imagining data obtained from a subject exposed to an advertisement or entertainment;

detect a first pattern of oscillation in the first frequency band;

detect a second pattern of oscillation in the second frequency band;

generate a coupling index based on a phase synchrony between the first frequency band and the second frequency band, wherein the phase synchrony is determined by detecting a repeating sequence of relative phase angles between the first pattern of oscillation in the first frequency band and the second pattern of oscillation in the second frequency band; and

analyze the coupling index and the functional magnetic resonance imaging data to evaluate effectiveness of the advertisement or entertainment at the first period in time.

20. The machine readable device or disc of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to:

filter electroencephalography generated artifacts from the functional magnetic resonance imaging data; and

filter functional magnetic resonance imaging generated artifacts from at least one of the first or second electroencephalography data.