Desarrollo de aplicaciones de Realidad Virtual y aplicación de interfaces cerebro-ordenador para reconocimiento de estados emocionales y neurológicos

Abstract

When imaging the future, we always assume the existence of new technologies and ways of communicating. Among these technologies, Virtual Reality allow us to develop complete virtual worlds in which we can easily get immersed and bury ourselves. In the same way, there exists a great interest in understanding the brain and utilizing its information as an extension of our own capacity. Following this thinking line, it becomes easy to visualize a new future where both technologies share a same purpose, creating new realities able to adapt to our cognitive and emotional state. Currently, an inherent problem in the society is that it is surrounded by a ton of stimulus, either positive or negative, that have repercussion in our emotions. Among them, the most common emotion is stress, which can affect to our concentration and wellbeing. Despite we should be able to manage these emotions, there exist people unable to do it. A clear example of this can be found in the special education area, where there are therapies for children who present different conditions and disorders. Some of them are not able to communicate, fact that can complicate to be certain of the effectiveness of the therapy. So, the possibility of objectively assessing their cognitive and emotional state becomes a challenge with few current approaches. Therefore, this work is focused on tackle that problematic, with a solution based on Virtual Reality and the study of brain signals through electroencephalography. First, this research focuses on the idea of substituting actual stress-reducing therapies in a local special school through a Virtual Reality proposal. This proposal not only tries to replicate an existing therapy session, but to also offer an alternative. The second part of this project studies the possibility of integrating a system, like the one described earlier, and a way of recognizing in real time brain activity patterns related to different emotional and cognitive states, such as stress, motor imagery and cognitive workload. All of this has the goal of having its impact in the Virtual Reality environment, adapting it to these new circumstances. Finally, it is expected that this system, beyond of being useful and relevant in the special education field, can be applied in other research areas. Thus, areas such as rehabilitation, marketing or learning could benefit from this type of technologies, allowing them to know and adapt the existing solution in real time, according to the emotional and cognitive end-user state.