A research for single trial detection of error related negativity

Abstract

Error related negativity (ERN) is generated in frontal and central cortical regions when individuals perceive errors. Because ERN has low signal-to-noise ratio and large individual difference, it is difficult for single trial ERN recognition. In current study, the optimized electroencephalograph (EEG) channels were selected based on the brain topography of ERN activity and ERN offline recognition rate, and the optimized EEG time segments were selected based on the ERN offline recognition rate, then the low frequency time domain and high frequency time-frequency domain features were analyzed based on wavelet transform, after which the ERN single detection algorithm was proposed based on the above procedures. Finally, we achieved average recognition rate of 72.0% ± 9.6% in 10 subjects by using the sample points feature in 0~3.9 Hz and the power and variance features in 3.9~15.6 Hz from the EEG segments of 200~600 ms on the selected 6 channels. Our work has the potential to help the error command real-time correction technique in the application of online brain-computer interface system.