Large-scale ear-EEG data collection

The purpose of this study is to collect a large and diverse dataset from a range of different situations, with the aim of gaining insight into the potential applications of ear-EEG.

Experimental Setup

The study will take place in two sessions: a lab session and an outdoor session.

The lab session will take approximately 2.5 hours, including preparation and measurements. You will be seated in a chair, performing various tasks while looking at a screen. The screen will display instructions and tasks for you to follow. The tasks include listening to different sound stimuli (e.g., a podcast), reading text on the screen, playing a "find Waldo" game, making various jaw movements (such as speaking or chewing gum), having your eyes both open and closed, and performing memory tasks (e.g., remembering if a specific target appears in a sequence).

The outdoor session will last about 2 hours and will take place in a shopping center and around a traffic intersection. During this session, you will both sit and walk while performing different tasks. These tasks include listening to various sound stimuli (e.g., a podcast, stories told by the experimenter, surrounding sounds, and manipulated surrounding sounds). You will also be asked to sit with both open and closed eyes.

In both sessions, you will have various equipment mounted on you. Some equipment will be used in both recordings, while others will only be used in one of the recordings. In both recordings, you will wear:

Ear-EEG earpieces with electrodes. For recording brain activity.
Speaker: For presenting sound stimuli.
PPG sensor: Measuring heart rate.
IMU sensor: Measuring your body movement.

In the lab recording, the following equipment will also be added:

EEG cap: For recording brain activity. Electrodes will be placed on your head, and a water-soluble gel will be applied between the electrodes and your scalp.
GSR sensor: Measuring the skin's electrical impedance.
Eye-tracking system: Placed on a table in front of you, recording your eye movements.

Participant criteria

To participate in the study, you must meet the following criteria:

Healthy and at least 18 years old.
Normal hearing, you should not wear hearing aids.
Normal vision or glasses/contact lenses that correct to normal vision.
Normal cognitive function.
Speak either Danish or English.

You cannot participate if you:

Have a neurological condition, epilepsy, or have previously had a stroke.
Are taking antidepressants, sedatives, or antipsychotic medications.
Have a substance or alcohol addiction

Compensation

As a thank you for your participation, you will receive a 250 DKK gift card (Aarhus City) after each visit.

If you are interested in being a part of this study, please email us at ear-eeg@ece.au.dk to receive more information and to schedule recording times.