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 giulia cisotto


vEEGNet: learning latent representations to reconstruct EEG raw data via variational autoencoders

Zancanaro, Alberto, Cisotto, Giulia, Zoppis, Italo, Manzoni, Sara Lucia

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

Electroencephalografic (EEG) data are complex multi-dimensional time-series that are very useful in many applications, from diagnostics to driving brain-computer interface systems. Their classification is still a challenging task, due to the inherent within- and between-subject variability and their low signal-to-noise ratio. On the other hand, the reconstruction of raw EEG data is even more difficult because of the high temporal resolution of these signals. Recent literature has proposed numerous machine and deep learning models that could classify, e.g., different types of movements, with an accuracy in the range 70% to 80% (with 4 classes). On the other hand, a limited number of works targeted the reconstruction problem, with very limited results. In this work, we propose vEEGNet, a DL architecture with two modules, i.e., an unsupervised module based on variational autoencoders to extract a latent representation of the data, and a supervised module based on a feed-forward neural network to classify different movements. To build the encoder and the decoder of VAE we exploited the well-known EEGNet network. We implemented two slightly different architectures of vEEGNet, thus showing state-of-the-art classification performance, and the ability to reconstruct both low-frequency and middle-range components of the raw EEG. Although preliminary, this work is promising as we found out that the low-frequency reconstructed signals are consistent with the so-called motor-related cortical potentials, well-known motor-related EEG patterns and we could improve over previous literature by reconstructing faster EEG components, too. Further investigations are needed to explore the potentialities of vEEGNet in reconstructing the full EEG data, generating new samples, and studying the relationship between classification and reconstruction performance.


ACTA: A Mobile-Health Solution for Integrated Nudge-Neurofeedback Training for Senior Citizens

Cisotto, Giulia, Trentini, Andrea, Zoppis, Italo, Zanga, Alessio, Manzoni, Sara, Pietrabissa, Giada, Usubini, Anna Guerrini, Castelnuovo, Gianluca

arXiv.org Artificial Intelligence

As the worldwide population gets increasingly aged, in-home tele-medicine and mobile-health solutions represent promising services to promote active and independent aging and to contribute to a paradigm shift towards a patient-centric healthcare. In this work, we present ACTA (Advanced Cognitive Training for Aging), a prototypal mobile-health solution to provide advanced cognitive training for senior citizens with mild cognitive impairments, We disclose here the conceptualization of ACTA as the integration of two promising rehabilitation strategies: the "Nudge theory", from the cognitive domain, and the neurofeedback, from the neuroscience domain. Moreover, in ACTA we exploit the most advanced machine learning techniques to deliver customized and fully adaptive support to the elderly, while training in an ecological environment. ACTA represents the next-step beyond SENIOR, an earlier mobile-health project for cognitive training based on Nudge theory, currently ongoing in Lombardy Region. Beyond SENIOR, ACTA represents a highly-usable, accessible, low-cost, new-generation mobile-health solution to promote independent aging and effective motor-cognitive training support, while empowering the elderly in their own aging. As the worldwide population gets increasingly aged, tele-medicine and mobile-health solutions are becoming key services to promote active and independent aging, and to contribute to a paradigm shift towards a patient-centric healthcare. In many countries, especially Italy, Portugal in Europe, and Japan in Asia, average population age is rapidly increasing and projections indicate 79% of it will be over 60 by 2050, according to the 2017 report of the United Nations [1]. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is rapidly becoming one of the most common clinical manifestations affecting the elderly. It is characterized by deterioration of memory, attention, and cognitive function that is beyond what is expected based on age and educational level. MCI does not interfere significantly with individuals' daily activities. It can act as a transitional level towards dementia with a range of conversion of 10%-15% per year.