Analysis of Simple Algorithms for Motion Detection in Wearable Devices

Brain Computer Interfaces are used to obtain relevant information from the electroencephalogram (EEG) with a concrete objective. The evoked potentials related to movement are much demanded nowadays, in particular the ones associated to imagery movement. The objective of this work is to develop simple algorithms to imagery motion detection that can be included in a non-invasive wearable that everybody can use in a comfortable way for new services and applications. A wearable implies low resources, which is the most important requirement that the algorithms have. A public database with 105 subjects doing an upper-limb imagery movement is used. We have developed two algorithms (FBA and BLA) based on three characteristics of the signal (correlation, wavelet energy per segment and wavelet energy per electrode). They are tested for different number of electrodes and frequency bands. The best performance is found for 6 electrodes. The beta band is not the only band who achieves good performances. In fact, in this study the range between 25 Hz - 30 Hz has obtained the best performance using 6 electrodes. The conclusions show that these simple algorithms not fit well with the wearable requirements. However, it shows the need of adaptive algorithms to bypass the differences between subjects. Also, it affirms that more electrodes not lead to a better information, as well as, less electrodes not lead to a worse information. The same goes for frequency, where not only the beta band have the information required that fits our needs.