Data-Driven User Feedback: An Improved Neurofeedback Strategy considering the Interindividual Variability of EEG Features

Biomed Res Int. 2016:2016:3939815. doi: 10.1155/2016/3939815. Epub 2016 Aug 18.

Abstract

It has frequently been reported that some users of conventional neurofeedback systems can experience only a small portion of the total feedback range due to the large interindividual variability of EEG features. In this study, we proposed a data-driven neurofeedback strategy considering the individual variability of electroencephalography (EEG) features to permit users of the neurofeedback system to experience a wider range of auditory or visual feedback without a customization process. The main idea of the proposed strategy is to adjust the ranges of each feedback level using the density in the offline EEG database acquired from a group of individuals. Twenty-two healthy subjects participated in offline experiments to construct an EEG database, and five subjects participated in online experiments to validate the performance of the proposed data-driven user feedback strategy. Using the optimized bin sizes, the number of feedback levels that each individual experienced was significantly increased to 139% and 144% of the original results with uniform bin sizes in the offline and online experiments, respectively. Our results demonstrated that the use of our data-driven neurofeedback strategy could effectively increase the overall range of feedback levels that each individual experienced during neurofeedback training.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Electroencephalography / methods*
  • Feedback, Sensory / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neurofeedback / methods*
  • Neurofeedback / physiology*
  • Pattern Recognition, Automated / methods*
  • Relaxation Therapy / methods*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Young Adult