The development of a PPG and in-ear EEG device for application in fatigue measurement

Abstract

The need for proper fatigue detection and mitigation is made clear in research, with failure to detect fatigue resulting in significant societal health repercussions. Currently, there are limited hardware systems dedicated to the monitoring of fatigue-related biometrics. The devices that do attempt to provide this information are often impractical due to their size, required expertise and cost constraints. Access to these technologies by a broader population is therefore limited. Wearable health devices could provide a more practical solution. A data capture system was designed and implemented that records PPG and in-ear EEG information. The device was created to be inexpensive and portable. The in-ear EEG results obtained showed the detection of a statistically significant difference in alpha attenuation levels, which are closely associated with the state of alertness or drowsiness. While the acquired heart rate and blood oxygen saturation measurements showed a close correlation with an FDA approved pulse oximeter. Although the number of trials conducted was limited, the results show promising performance. This project is a stepping stone in the pursuit of an affordable fatigue monitoring solution that can mitigate the human-cost incurred on account of fatigue.