Hybrid CNN-GRU Models for Improved EEG Motor Imagery Classification

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) based on electroencephalography (EEG) enable neural activity interpretation for device control, with motor imagery (MI) serving as a key paradigm for decoding imagined movements. Efficient feature extraction from raw EEG signals is essential to improve classification accuracy while minimizing reliance on extensive preprocessing. In this study, we introduce new hybrid architectures to enhance MI classification using data augmentation and a limited number of EEG channels. The first model combines a shallow convolutional neural network and a gated recurrent unit (CNN-GRU), while the second incorporates a convolutional neural network with a bidirectional gated recurrent unit (CNN-Bi-GRU). Evaluated using the publicly available PhysioNet dataset, the CNN-GRU classifier achieved peak mean accuracy rates of 99.71%, 99.73%, 99.61%, and 99.86% for tasks involving left fist (LF), right fist (RF), both fists (LRF), and both feet (BF), respectively. The experimental results provide compelling evidence that our proposed models outperform current state-of-the-art methods, underscoring their efficiency on small-scale EEG datasets. The CNN-GRU and CNN-Bi-GRU architectures exhibit superior predictive reliability, offering a faster, cost-effective solution for user-adaptable MI-BCI applications.