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A deep-learning empowered, real-time processing platform of fNIRS/DOT for brain computer interfaces and neurofeedback

A deep-learning empowered, real-time processing platform of fNIRS/DOT for brain computer interfaces and neurofeedback
A deep-learning empowered, real-time processing platform of fNIRS/DOT for brain computer interfaces and neurofeedback

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and Neurofeedback (NFB) approaches, which both rely on real-time monitoring of brain activity, are increasingly being applied in rehabilitation, assistive technology, neurological diseases and behavioral disorders. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and diffuse optical tomography (DOT) are promising techniques for these applications due to their non-invasiveness, portability, low cost, and relatively high spatial resolution. However, real-time processing of fNIRS/DOT data remains a significant challenge as it requires establishing a baseline of the measurement, simultaneously performing real-time motion artifact (MA) correction across all channels, and (in the case of DOT) addressing the time-consuming process of image reconstruction. This study proposes a real-time processing system for fNIRS/DOT that integrates baseline calibration, denoising autoencoder (DAE) based MA correction model with a sliding window strategy, and a pre-calculated inverse Jacobian matrix to streamline the reconstructed 3D brain hemodynamics. The DAE model was trained on an extensive whole-head high-density DOT (HD-DOT) dataset and tested on separate motor imagery dataset augmented with artificial MA. The system demonstrated the capability to simultaneously process approximately 750 channels in real-time. Our results show that the DAE-based MA correction method outperformed traditional MA correction in terms of mean squared error and correlation to the known MA-free data while maintaining low latency, which is critical for effective BCI and NFB applications. The system's high-channel, real-time processing capability provides channel-wise oxygenation information and functional 3D imaging, making it well-suited for fNIRS/DOT applications in BCI and NFB, particularly in movement-intensive scenarios such as motor rehabilitation and assistive technology for mobility support.

brain-computer interface (BCI), deep learning, diffuse optical tomography (DOT), Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), motion artifacts, neurofeedback (NFB), real-time processing
1534-4320
1220-1230
Xia, Yunjia
acf66b3a-959d-4c04-b134-6c3c2e1125a1
Chen, Jianan
6a5906bf-29e1-4181-bfb7-e39f856ad3d3
Li, Jinchen
cd66b13e-5e83-4625-92bb-736c4140accb
Gong, Tingchen
f3fc0584-f8b8-43dc-ad97-119818278967
Vidal-Rosas, Ernesto E.
1da82633-b581-468e-b41a-117b6893a84d
Loureiro, Rui
aa029293-604d-47f5-8d8a-32aa8985a04c
Cooper, Robert J.
e44d8765-b9b9-402c-b6fe-6bc9288051f7
Zhao, Hubin
d8bfce35-71a9-4421-b628-5712e9f6e4c7
Xia, Yunjia
acf66b3a-959d-4c04-b134-6c3c2e1125a1
Chen, Jianan
6a5906bf-29e1-4181-bfb7-e39f856ad3d3
Li, Jinchen
cd66b13e-5e83-4625-92bb-736c4140accb
Gong, Tingchen
f3fc0584-f8b8-43dc-ad97-119818278967
Vidal-Rosas, Ernesto E.
1da82633-b581-468e-b41a-117b6893a84d
Loureiro, Rui
aa029293-604d-47f5-8d8a-32aa8985a04c
Cooper, Robert J.
e44d8765-b9b9-402c-b6fe-6bc9288051f7
Zhao, Hubin
d8bfce35-71a9-4421-b628-5712e9f6e4c7

Xia, Yunjia, Chen, Jianan, Li, Jinchen, Gong, Tingchen, Vidal-Rosas, Ernesto E., Loureiro, Rui, Cooper, Robert J. and Zhao, Hubin (2025) A deep-learning empowered, real-time processing platform of fNIRS/DOT for brain computer interfaces and neurofeedback. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 33, 1220-1230. (doi:10.1109/TNSRE.2025.3553794).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and Neurofeedback (NFB) approaches, which both rely on real-time monitoring of brain activity, are increasingly being applied in rehabilitation, assistive technology, neurological diseases and behavioral disorders. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and diffuse optical tomography (DOT) are promising techniques for these applications due to their non-invasiveness, portability, low cost, and relatively high spatial resolution. However, real-time processing of fNIRS/DOT data remains a significant challenge as it requires establishing a baseline of the measurement, simultaneously performing real-time motion artifact (MA) correction across all channels, and (in the case of DOT) addressing the time-consuming process of image reconstruction. This study proposes a real-time processing system for fNIRS/DOT that integrates baseline calibration, denoising autoencoder (DAE) based MA correction model with a sliding window strategy, and a pre-calculated inverse Jacobian matrix to streamline the reconstructed 3D brain hemodynamics. The DAE model was trained on an extensive whole-head high-density DOT (HD-DOT) dataset and tested on separate motor imagery dataset augmented with artificial MA. The system demonstrated the capability to simultaneously process approximately 750 channels in real-time. Our results show that the DAE-based MA correction method outperformed traditional MA correction in terms of mean squared error and correlation to the known MA-free data while maintaining low latency, which is critical for effective BCI and NFB applications. The system's high-channel, real-time processing capability provides channel-wise oxygenation information and functional 3D imaging, making it well-suited for fNIRS/DOT applications in BCI and NFB, particularly in movement-intensive scenarios such as motor rehabilitation and assistive technology for mobility support.

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Accepted/In Press date: 19 March 2025
Published date: 21 March 2025
Keywords: brain-computer interface (BCI), deep learning, diffuse optical tomography (DOT), Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), motion artifacts, neurofeedback (NFB), real-time processing

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 502031
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/502031
ISSN: 1534-4320
PURE UUID: f663a698-3e79-4039-b88a-3ae64267ae05
ORCID for Ernesto E. Vidal-Rosas: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4486-7592

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Date deposited: 13 Jun 2025 17:21
Last modified: 22 Aug 2025 02:40

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Contributors

Author: Yunjia Xia
Author: Jianan Chen
Author: Jinchen Li
Author: Tingchen Gong
Author: Ernesto E. Vidal-Rosas ORCID iD
Author: Rui Loureiro
Author: Robert J. Cooper
Author: Hubin Zhao

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