Research on High-Frequency Combination Coding-Based SSVEP-BCIs and Its Signal Processing Algorithms

Abstract

This study presents a new steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) paradigm for brain computer interface (BCI) systems. The new paradigm is High-Frequency Combination Coding-Based SSVEP (HFCC-SSVEP). The goal of this study is to increase the number of targets using fewer stimulation frequencies, with diminishing subject's fatigue and reducing the risk of photosensitive epileptic seizures. This paper investigated the HFCC-SSVEP high-frequency response (beyond 25 Hz) for 3 frequencies (25 Hz, 33.33 Hz, and 40 Hz). HFCC-SSVEP produces nn with n high stimulation frequencies through Time Series Combination Code. Furthermore, The Improved Hilbert-Huang Transform (IHHT) is adopted to extract time-frequency feature of the proposed SSVEP response. Lastly, the differentiation combination (DC) method is proposed to select the combination coding sequence in order to increase the recognition rate; as a result, IHHT algorithm and DC method for the proposed SSVEP paradigm in this study increase recognition efficiency so as to improve ITR and increase the stability of the BCI system. Furthermore, SSVEPs evoked by high-frequency stimuli (beyond 25 Hz) minimally diminish subject's fatigue and prevent safety hazards linked to photo-induced epileptic seizures. This study tests five subjects in order to verify the feasibility of the proposed method.