A Least-Square Unified Framework for Spatial Filtering in SSVEP-Based BCIs.

Journal: IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
Published Date:

Abstract

The steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) has become one of the most prominent BCI paradigms with high information transfer rate, and has been widely applied in rehabilitation and assistive applications. This paper proposes a least-square (LS) unified framework to summarize the correlation analysis (CA)-based SSVEP spatial filtering methods from a machine learning perspective. Within this framework, the commonalities and differences between various spatial filtering methods appear apparent, the interpretation of computational factors becomes intuitive, and spatial filters can be determined by solving a generalized optimization problem with non-linear and regularization items. Moreover, the proposed LS framework provides the foundation of utilizing the knowledge behind these spatial filtering methods in further classification/regression model designs. Through a comparative analysis of existing representative spatial filtering methods, recommendations are made for the superior and robust design strategies. These recommended strategies are further integrated to fill the research gaps and demonstrate the ability of the proposed LS framework to promote algorithmic improvements, resulting in five new spatial filtering methods. This study could offer significant insights in understanding the relationships between various design strategies in the spatial filtering methods from the machine learning perspective, and would also contribute to the development of the SSVEP recognition methods with high performance.

Authors

  • Ze Wang
    School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshanwest Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China.
  • Lu Shen
  • Yi Yang
    Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
  • Yueqi Ma
  • Chi Man Wong
  • Zige Liu
    School of Clinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University Nanning, Guangxi, China.
  • Cuiyun Lin
  • Chi Tin Hon
  • Tao Qian
    School of Computer Science and Technology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China.
  • Feng Wan