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An Immersive Virtual Reality Platform Integrating Human ECOG & sEEG: Implementation & Noise Analysis
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  • Courtnie Paschall ,
  • Rajesh P.N. Rao ,
  • Jason Hauptman ,
  • Jeffrey G. Ojemann ,
  • Jeffrey Herron
Courtnie Paschall
University of Washington Seattle, University of Washington Seattle, University of Washington Seattle

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Rajesh P.N. Rao
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Jason Hauptman
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Jeffrey G. Ojemann
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Jeffrey Herron
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Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) offers a robust platform for  human behavioral neuroscience, granting unprecedented  experimental control over every aspect of an immersive and  interactive visual environment. VR experiments have already  integrated non-invasive neural recording modalities such as  EEG and functional MRI to explore the neural correlates of  human behavior and cognition. Integration with implanted  electrodes would enable significant increase in spatial and  temporal resolution of recorded neural signals and the option of  direct brain stimulation for neurofeedback. In this paper, we  discuss the first such implementation of a VR platform with  implanted electrocorticography (ECoG) and stereo?electroencephalography (sEEG) electrodes in human, in-patient  subjects. Noise analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of  the VR headset on neural data collected in two VR-naïve  subjects, one child and one adult, including both ECOG and  sEEG electrodes. Results demonstrate an increase in line noise  power (57-63Hz) while wearing the VR headset that is mitigated  effectively by common average referencing (CAR), and no  significant change in the noise floor bandpower (125-240Hz). To  our knowledge, this study represents first demonstrations of VR  immersion during invasive neural recording with in-patient  human subjects.