Multi-channel linear descriptors for event-related EEG collected in brain computer interface

Abstract

By three multi-channel linear descriptors, i.e. spatial complexity (Ω), field power (Σ) and frequency of field changes (Φ), event-related EEG data within 8–30 Hz were investigated during imagination of left or right hand movement. Studies on the event-related EEG data indicate that a two-channel version of Ω, Σ and Φ could reflect the antagonistic ERD/ERS patterns over contralateral and ipsilateral areas and also characterize different phases of the changing brain states in the event-related paradigm. Based on the selective two-channel linear descriptors, the left and right hand motor imagery tasks are classified to obtain satisfactory results, which testify the validity of the three linear descriptors Ω, Σ and Φ for characterizing event-related EEG. The preliminary results show that Ω, Σ together with Φ have good separability for left and right hand motor imagery tasks, which could be considered for classification of two classes of EEG patterns in the application of brain computer interfaces.