Testing the validity of wireless EEG for cognitive research with auditory and visual paradigms.

One of the challenges in collecting ERP data is the time-consuming process of fitting caps and prepping electrodes with gel. This can be particularly true when working with clinical populations, where efficiency in data collection is important.

Recently gel-free wireless headsets designed for brain computer interface have advanced to the point where they offer an attractive alternative to traditional EEG methods. However, although research exists suggesting that some of these devices can register the robust P300 component (e.g. Duvinage et al, 2012), little is known about their validity for earlier and smaller cognitive components.

To test the feasibility of these headsets for cognitive research, we compared performance of a commercial-grade wireless headset (Emotiv) with research-grade active electrodes (Brain Products ActiCAP) on two well-studied components: the auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) and the visual face-sensitive N170.

In this talk, we present the results of our comparison, and give our recommendations for those interested in pursueing research with this type of equipment.

Ethan Weed & Alexandra Kratschmer (IMC)