Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Albert L Schmidt

Gary W Sherwin

Lewis F Hanes

John L Johnson

Kenneth K Blackham

Ellen K McKinley

Paul H Haley

Patrick J McKenzie

Edward E Kovach

Michael R Morris

The invention is a method and apparatus in which student EEG measurements are made during the videotaped presentation of training materials. Alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (16-24 Hz) activity present during segments of the material directed to a learning objective are used to determine attention and cognitive activity during the training material. An increased level of attention relates to increased understanding of the material. An increased level of cognitive activity relate directly to incorrect understanding of the material. Evoked potential responses are also measured in response to multiple choice questions on the learning objections presented subsequent to the training materials. A difference between midterm responses for correct and incorrect answers measures correct understanding of the subject matter of the multiple choice question. Comparing the alpha, beta and evoked potential results for a learning objective validates the indication of effectiveness if the results correlate. To evaluate the EEG spectra for varying length recorded signal segments and between individuals with different magnitude responses, the EEG signals are normalized and interpolated to the same length before a windowed FFT is performed the peaks in the FFT are then found.

Method for training material evaluation with method of EEG spectral

Ball-hitch for bicycle carrier

The present invention uses a personal computer 180 with an A/D converter 184 and a hard disk drive 182 to record the electroencephalographic (EEG) activity of a subject 192 during a commercial and to record event related potentials (ERP) during commercial evaluation sequences subsequent to the commercial. The EEG is analyzed by a signal processing computer 205 for alpha and beta frequency amplitude content to determine attention cognition of the commercial. Different commercials for the same product are compared using overall attention and cognition ratings. The ERP is analyzed to determine the amplitude and latency of the ERPs potentials produced by stimulus events in the evaluation sequences. The ERPs are filtered and the peak amplitudes and latency measured. The amplitude and/or latency determines the understanding of the commercial, the value of the product, the intent to buy the product and the memory of the product. By computing overall results for each commercial different commercials can be compared. The effectiveness the commercial can be compared to a reference product and a well known local price providing additional information concerning the product to the advertiser.

Method and apparatus for physiological evaluation of short films and

A self-preparing electrode includes a conductive conical disk and a nonconductive plastic abrading brush removably interfitted through an aperture in the disk. The brush extends axially through the disk cavity to an abrading end of the brush disposed beyond the cavity at the large diameter end of the disk. The brush also extends axially through and beyong the aperture of the disk to a fused end of the brush which holds the strands or bristles of the brush together. An apparatus which fabricates the brush and assembles it to an electrode disk uses a pair of pressure roller to feed multiple strands from supply spools mounted in a supply rack, through input and output tubular orifices, to and through the aperture of the disk. A shuttle positions a fusing anvil in contact with the leading ends of the strands extending through the disk aperture for fusing them into a connecting bead. A cutting blade is then employed to sever the strands a short distance from the disk to finish forming the brush and define an abrading end thereon.

Self-preparing electrode with removable plastic abrading brush

An automated visual testing system is disclosed which presents an alternating steady state visual stimulus to a patient through an optical system that modifies the stimulus image. As the image changes, the patient produces evoked potentials that change. The evoked potentials are detected by a product detector which produces the amplitude of the evoked potentials. The amplitude is monitored through an analog to digital converter by a supervisor computer. The supervisor computer produces patient response curves from which it diagnoses visual system malfunction and/or prescribes correction. A control processor controls a stimulus generator to produce the image and an optical system, that includes polarizers, an astigmatism test slit or a cylindrical lens, a zoom lens system and a variable focal length test lens, transmits the image to the patient. The steady state visual potential stimulus generator is a device by which a rapidly complementing or flashing pattern can be presented to the patient. The generator allows the contrast of the image to be varied without varying luminance and allows operation in a true bicolor and multicolor mode. The product detector detects the level of the steady state evoked potential signals even in the presence of substantial background noise and extraneous electroencephalographic signals. These detectors can be used to monitor the evoked potential produced by visual, all or somatic steady state stimuli.

Automated visual assessment system with steady visual evoked potential

An automated visual testing system is disclosed which presents an alternating steady state visual stimulus to a patient through an optical system that modifies the stimulus image. As the image changes, the patient produces evoked potentials that change. The evoked potentials are detected by a product detector which produces the amplitude of the evoked potentials. The amplitude is monitored through an analog to digital converter by a supervisor computer. The supervisor computer produces patient response curves from which it diagnoses visual system malfunction and/or prescribes correction. A control processor controls a stimulus generator to produce the image and an optical system, that includes polarizers, an astigmatism test slit or a cylindrical lense, a zoom lense system and a variable focal length test lense, transmits the image to the patient. The steady state visual potential stimulus generator is a device by which a rapidly complementing or flashing pattern can be presented to the patient. The generator allows the contrast of the image to be varied without varying luminance and allows operation in a true bicolor and multicolor mode. The product detector detects the level of the steady state evoked potential signals even in the presence of substantial background noise and extraneous electroencephalographic signals. These detectors can be used to monitor the evoked potential produced by visual, all or somatic steady state stimuli. The components described above can be used to produce a system that can determine to which of several different displays an observer is paying attention by providing images that blink at different frequencies and product detectors for each of the stimulus frequencies. The product detector producing the highest output indicates the display upon which the observer is focused.

Automated visual assessment system with steady state visual evoked

The present invention includes an adjustable head set held in place on the back of a patient's head when the patient leans back against a chair head rest. The head set includes self-preparing disposable monitors that provide good contact with the patient's head without prior skin preparation. The monitors include a conductive tube containing conductive wires, the tips of which form a planar cushion surface for contacting thr patient's head through a caratinaceous layer of skin. The monitors are held in adjustable holders that allow the contact force to be adjusted. The adjustable holders are mounted in holder slots of head set springs where the slots also allow adjustment of the placement of the monitors. The springs can include hinges for rotatably adjusting placement of the monitors. The disposable monitors are filled with an electrolyte solution using a disposable applicator including a puncturable film, punctured by a monitor when the electrolyte solution is being applied.

Electroencephalographic head set with a disposable monitor

The present invention includes an adjustable head set held in place on the back of a patient's head when the patient leans back against a chair head rest. The head set includes self-preparing disposable monitors that provide good contact with the patient's head without prior skin preparation. The monitors include a conductive tube containing conductive wires, the tips of which form a planar cushion surface for contacting the patient's head through a caratinaceous layer of skin. The monitors are held in adjustable holders that allow the contact force to be adjusted. The adjustable holders are mounted in holder slots of head set springs where the slots also allow adjustment of the placement of the monitors. The springs can include hinges for rotatably adjusting placement of the monitors. The disposable monitors are filled with an electrolyte solution using a disposable applicator including a puncturable film, punctured by a monitor when the electrolyte solution is being applied.

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Murrysville, PA, United States of America

Albert L Schmidt