Examining brain and eye-tracking signals integration during exergame session: a case study with a post-stroke patient

Abstract

Considering the effects of stroke on brain tissue and related motor impairment, the use of rehabilitation with virtual reality (VR) can be an ally in neuroplastic activation. A new VR approach for detecting attention and emotion through biopotentials is presented based on the characteristics of brain electrical signals and eye-tracking signals in this study. With a view to the competitive demand for attention in our daily lives and the identification of neural processes in the EEG signals associated with it, in addition to the availability of portable devices based on biopotentials, it becomes possible to capture by attraction in the characterization of attention, immersion, and concentration of the user tracked on parameters extracted from the EEG signal and eye-tracking (ET) monitoring. ET data were monitored as potentially related to gaze fixation. Regarding the EEG frequency bands related to attention in the forms of effort and concentration, as metrics of the brain network through power spectral density, the frontal and parieto-occipital areas were activated in the θ, α, and β bands. The alpha frontal asymmetry was investigated, it had significant changes in the immersion states, compared to the relaxed state. Specific brain areas and frequency bands were surveyed: frontal analysis of EEG as well as indices relating ratios between frequency bands of many EEG channels were used to investigate concentration in two different attentional tasks. A higher level of attention reflects an increase in theta potential (θ) in the frontal electrodes and, in the parietal electrodes, an increase in potential relative to the alpha rhythm (α). As future considerations, we indicate a greater number of patients in the investigation, and use of new brain signal response characteristics, such as reaction time and real-time thinking through resistances in this work.