Proceedings of the 1st Biomedical Signal Analysis Conference (Rio de Janeiro, October 21-24, 2013)

Recording EEG during motion.

Pedro Reis1*, Felix Hebenstreit2, Matthias Lochmann1
1

Institute of Sport Science and Sport, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.

Digital Sports Group, Pattern Recognition Lab, Department of Computer Science, Friedrich-Alexander-University ErlangenNuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
*Corresponding author. Email: Pedro.Reis@FAU.de

Abstract Electroencephalography (EEG) is a

classic method for brain activity exploration. EEG
involves recording, analysis, and interpretation of
voltages recorded on the human scalp originated
from the brain gray matter. Until recently,
methodology was not developed enough, and
therefore EEG signals were extremely artifact
sensitive to allow analysis of brain dynamics
during movement. Today new hardware and
software tools exist and the field of mobile brain
imaging is growing rapidly. In this paper, we
present some hardware, software and techniques
for recording EEG during movement.
Keywords: EEG, recordings, movement.

I.

INTRODUCTION

In 2009, Makeig et al, [1] proposed the

development of methods for investigation of brain
dynamics during human motion behavior in several
dimensions; the development of wearable mobile
brain/body imaging (MoBi). The use of these
methodologies would allow researchers to capture and
investigate a person brain electric activity, muscle
myoelectric activity, and movements in a 3D space,
video and audio recordings. Additionally, the creation
of analysis methods, which can model the
relationships between recorded dimensions.
Consequently, the new methods would allow the
study of the influence of exercise in cognition, effects
of degenerative diseases impairments in motion,
designing
and
optimizing
neurorehabilitation
therapies, human brain machine control, etc. However,
traditionally, the research community tends to consider
EEG as excessively artifact prone to allow
measurements during motion. Artifacts such as

electromyographic activity (EMG) are a large source

of noise during recordings. As a result, research
avoided the use of EEG in sophisticated imaging
analysis.
Today we see some of these methodologies
emerging and in this paper; we will present shortly
some of the new recording methods and tools available
for neuroscientists. In this paper, movement is meant,
as not only as finger movements or a single limb, but
also locomotion, cycling, weight lifting, etc.

II.

RECORDING METHODS

EEG recording methodology is at a development

stage where brain activity can be recorder wirelessly
and using dry electrodes [2], [3]. Several companies
offer wireless EEG systems. Brain Products (Brain
Products GmbH, 82205 Gilching, Germany)
developed
the
MOVE
system.
Cognionics
(Cognionics, Inc., San Diego, CA 92121) also offers a
wireless system that is a high-density EEG headset
with integrated dry electrodes and acquisition unit [4].
Yet, another system is the EEGOSPORTS from ANTNeuro (ANT-Neuro, Colosseum 22, 7521 PT
Enschede, Netherlands). In Fig. 1 we can see a study
participant wearing this system, which is composed by
a small backpack, a lightweight amplifier, a VAIOTM
Ultrabook (Sony Corporation, Konan, Minato-ku,
Tokyo 108-0075, Japan) and an EEG cap. The system
feels very confortable and allows unrestricted
movement and locomotion. These systems offer data
recording during motion, as it was impossible before.
It is important to wireless systems for collecting data
during mobile recordings, because they offer the most
unrestricted mobility.

Reis, Recording EEG during motion.

the eyes during the moments of interval of data

collection.
Appropriate data sampling is necessary for
successful analysis and artifact reduction using ICA
based methods. With Adaptive Mixture of
Independent Component Analyzers (AMICA) [13],
around 10.000 muscle samples should be enough for
extracting muscle components. In order to find the
different components, authors recommend collecting
at least the square of the number of channels
(http://sccn.ucsd.edu/~scott/tutorial/questions. Html).
In addition, the acquisition of head and neck muscles
activity that induce the artifacts [14] may improve the
extraction of muscle components. Sampling rates for
EMG should be at least 1000 Hz, according to the
project Surface ElectroMyoGraphy for the NonInvasive Assessment of Muscles For EMG sampling
(SENIAM) [15].

Figure 1 ANT EEGOSPORTS wireless EEG system. In this

figure we can see a study participant wearing a ANT Wireless
sytem, the EEGOSPORTS. It is composed of a small
backpack that contains a light weight amplifier, a Ultrabook
and an EEG cap.

While recording EEG during motion, it is

important to avoid as much as possible, movement
induced artifacts. For a review on sports and motion
EEG related artifacts, the readers are invited to consult
[5]. To deal with this kind of artifacts, and reduce
electrical noise, it is researchers can use active
electrodes and restrained shielded electrode cables.
These measures will improve much the signal quality
[6], [7]. During measurements, body heat may become
a problem and create artifacts due to sweating. To
address this problem, tests should be of short duration
and study participants can wear a cooling ventilation
vest [8] which may also optimize their exercise
performance [9]. Further, ensuring a good quality
connection and online, or regular, impedance check
are essential in order to obtain a robust good quality
signal.
Muscle artifacts are possibly the main reason why
research did not explore EEG during motion. These
artifacts, due to their nature create a large source or
noise during recordings, overlapping, sometimes, the
EEG completely [10]. EMG has amplitudes from 100
to 1000 V and has frequencies from about 5 Hz to
450 Hz. These are a large part of the frequency ranges
in which brain activity takes place [11], [12]. It is
therefore better suited to remove EMG artifacts trough
computational methods such as ICA. However, it may
prove useful to train the study participants to avoid
heavy and unnecessary head muscular contraction.
Also suggesting to the participant to swallow and blink

EEG recordings during motion are very likely to

have more interest with simultaneous and
synchronized recordings of body dynamics. For this
purpose, Christian Kothe from the SCCN developed a
software package: Lab stream layer (LSL). This
software brings together and synchronizes the
collection of measurements in experiments. Among
other modules, it consists of several tools that
encompass a recorder, importers and acquisition
software for a diverse number of hardware such as
EEG, motion capture, force plates, etc. For details on
this software, we invite the reader to visit the page
https://code.google.com/p/ labstreaminglayer/.
A further method for synchronization of various
devices is to use hardware synchronization. A TTL
signal is normally used to synchronize data acquisition
between devices, via BNC connectors. Thus possible
software synchronization delays are ruled out.
Hardware synchronization can be archieved by use of
a sending an initial pulse from an external trigger.
However this is only feasible for short measuremens
as it is likely that because of different internal clocks
of the systems, the recording can become no longer
synchronized. To avoid desynchronization the system
can synchronize continuously. Thus, requiring a
master time base that regularly sends pulses to thr
various devices. Modern motion capture cameras
systems provide such capability. The system can send
external frequency outputs or lock external
synchronization input pulses. In Maidhof et al. (2013)
[16] synchronization pulses allow for continuous
synchronization of diferente synchronization rates
trough locking into external synchronization pulse
sequences, or by recording trigger pulses.
Furthermore, during mobile recordings, it is
usefull, for triggering pulposes, to employ wireless
synchronization. For this purpose Kugler et al. (2012)
[17], present a custom build system for the
synchronization of wearable sensors with external
devices such as mobile EEG with motion capture
cameras.
In Fig. 2 we can see a simultaneous collection of
body and brain activity using motion capture EMG,

Proceedings of the 1st Biomedical Signal Analysis Conference (Rio de Janeiro, October 21-24, 2013)

3D motion, and EEG for the task of leg extension and
flexion. All data streams were synchronized online and
data was saved for posterior analysis. Data was
collected using Brain Products (Brain Products GmbH,
82205 Gilching, Germany) Quick amp, Noraxon
desktop direct transmission EMG wireless system and
brain products 64 channels acticap EEG system. EEG
was sampled at 2000 Hz, EMG was sampled at
3000Hz using the desktop direct transmission wireless
EMG from Noraxon, and motion data was sampled at
150Hz using Qualysis Oqus cameras. Fig. 3 shows
data from the same subject, while extending and
flexing the right leg. In this figure we have the 3D
model of the moving limb, the EEG and EMG
channels activity. The software utilized for data
visualization was the Visual3D from C-motion (CMotion, Inc., Germantown, MD, United States of
America). This software allows the offline analysis of
synchronized motion and electrical physiological data.
We can see in the software the corresponding brain
activities and respective EMG activity for each
movement frame. Afterwards, markers related to the
movement speeds, angles, acceleration, etc, can be
exported to EEG analysis specific software for
complex analysis of the relationships between
movement characteristics and brain activity.

guidelines were created. These guidelines are helpful

as researchers learn how to conduct exercise testing in
healthy and diseased participants, spotting physical
signs that are criteria for terminating a test.

Finally, researchers that consider conducting

experiments during motion should be aware and
include some of the practices suggested by the
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
guidelines for exercise testing and prescription [18].
Human subjects safety during exercise testing, with or
without EEG, should be maintained, thus these

[2]

III.

IV.

AKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work is supported by the Bayerische

Forschungsstiftung.
V.
[1]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]
[9]

Figure 2 Collection of synchronized body and brain activity.
Data was collected using Brain Products Quick amp, Noraxon
desktop direct transmission EMG Wireless system, brain
products acticap EEG system and Qualisys 3D motion capture
system. Data was synchronized trough hardware TTL triggers.

CONCLUSION

Today, scientist and clinicians have access to

unpreceded software and hardware tools, which allow
the investigation of the integrated body and mind
systems. Now, recording EEG free of cables and in
synchronized with several other measuring systems, is
a reality. These tools would for sure make Hans
Berger happy [19].

[10]

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Reis, Recording EEG during motion.

Fugure 3 Visualisation of collected body and brain activity. In this figure we have the synchronized 3D model of the moving limb, the EEG
and EMG channels activity. The software utilized for data visualization was the Visual3D from C-motion.

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