Effect of competing stimuli on SSVEP-based BCI

Steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)-based Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) works on the basis that an attended stimulus shows an enhanced visual evoked response. By examining EEG power at the frequency of the dominant evoked response, we are able to determine which stimulus the subject is attending. However, due to the limited processing capability of human visual system, when presented with multiple stimuli in the same visual field, the stimuli will compete for neural representations in the cortices. This study elucidates the effect of competing stimuli on SSVEP amplitudes by exploring the relationship between the number of stimuli and their inter-distance on the power spectra of attended stimuli. Results show that competing stimuli, when placed less than five degrees from the centre of the fovea, create a significant suppressive effect on the dominant frequency response. This result should guide how visual stimuli of SSVEP-based BCIs are spatially designed.