Mental Stress Detection Using a Wearable In-Ear Plethysmography

Abstract

This study presents an ear-mounted photoplethysmography (PPG) system that is designed to detect mental stress. Mental stress is a prevalent condition that can negatively impact an individual’s health and well-being. Early detection and treatment of mental stress are crucial for preventing related illnesses and maintaining overall wellness. The study used data from 14 participants that were collected in a controlled environment. The participants were subjected to stress-inducing tasks such as the Stroop color–word test and mathematical calculations. The raw PPG signal was then preprocessed and transformed into scalograms using continuous wavelet transform (CWT). A convolutional neural network classifier was then used to classify the transformed signals as stressed or non-stressed. The results of the study show that the PPG system achieved high levels of accuracy (92.04%) and F1-score (90.8%). Furthermore, by adding white Gaussian noise to the raw PPG signals, the results were improved even more, with an accuracy of 96.02% and an F1-score of 95.24%. The proposed ear-mounted device shows great promise as a reliable tool for the early detection and treatment of mental stress, potentially revolutionizing the field of mental health and well-being.