Taking off the training wheels: Measuring auditory P3 during outdoor cycling using an active wet EEG system

Abstract

Mobile EEG allows the investigation of brain activity in increasingly complex environments. In this study, EEG equipment was adapted for use and transportation in a backpack while cycling.Participants performed an auditory oddball task while cycling outside and sitting in an isolated chamber inside the lab. Cycling increased EEG noise and marginally diminished alpha amplitude. However, this increased noise did not influence the ability to measure reliable event related potentials (ERP). The P3 was similar in topography, and morphology when outside on the bike, with a lower amplitude in the outside cycling condition. There was only a minor decrease in the statistical power to measure reliable ERP effects. Unexpectedly, when biking outside significantly decreased P2 and increased N1 amplitude were observed when evoked by both standards and targets compared with sitting in the lab. This may be due to attentional processes filtering the overlapping sounds between the tones used and similar environmental frequencies.This study established methods for mobile recording of ERP signals. Future directions include investigating auditory P2 filtering inside the laboratory.

Mobile EEG in research on neurodevelopmental disorders: Opportunities and challenges

“…A group of studies compared mobile systems during stationary versus non-stationary conditions using well-established paradigms, informing reliability across testing settings. Auditory oddball tasks ( Debener et al, 2012 ; Scanlon et al, 2017 ; Zink et al, 2016 ) to elicit the P3 ERP can be performed in non-lab conditions. Even if significant artefacts may be present in a moving condition (i.e., biking freely in a university campus), above chance P3 single-trial classification is still possible ( Zink et al, 2016 ; see Fig.…”

The ecological cocktail party: Measuring brain activity during an auditory oddball task with background noise

“…Similar to Zink et al (), we found a significantly reduced P3 during the mobile task of cycling. However, we were surprised to find a significantly decreased P2 and increased N1 while participants had been cycling outside (Scanlon, Townsend, Cormier, Kuziek, & Mathewson, ). Altogether, these studies show that, in comparison to nonmobile, quiet laboratory conditions, the P3 in an oddball task tends to be reduced during mobile tasks such as walking or cycling outside but not during stationary cycling inside, indicating that changes in the P3 were related to changes in the task (e.g., stationary vs. mobile).…”

Improved Activity Recognition Combining Inertial Motion Sensors and Electroencephalogram Signals

“…Some works study the auditive odd-ball task ERPs while sitting versus pedaling. 73,74 In an other study, 75 subjects carry out an inhibitory task while walking versus sitting. Other studies include the analysis of pianists EEG ERPs and power spectrum while performing a simple tune, 57 the prediction of braking intention from ERPs, 76 and the effect of rhythmic auditory stimulation on auditory motor synchronization on Parkinson's disease patients.…”

“…However, our sample is greater than those of recently published works on mobile EEG. 73,74,76 The gender representation is quite imbalanced, hence it is not possible to carry out any gender-related contrast analysis. We have carried out the data capture sessions inside rooms without working electrical equipment, but we have not ensured total electromagnetic isolation, i.e.…”