Measuring and demonstrating the benefits of using eye monitoring technology (SR-Research) in the EEG laboratory

The Canadian company SR Research is one of the world's leading suppliers of equipment for monitoring eyemovements during a wide variety of activities (e.g. looking at advertisements) and tasks (often carefullydesigned by researchers interested in the control of eye movements, or in using eye movements as a window onthe workings of the mind). In a recent project, the Klein laboratory combined eye monitoring equipment(Eyelink 1000) from SR Research with EEG recording equipment to explore how attention modulates thehuman brain's responses to events. Because eye movements generate much bigger electrical signals than thosein which cognitive neuroscientists are interested, it is important to minimize eye movements around the time ofdelivery of the events generating the signals of interest. It is also important to remove from analysis trials wheneye movement artifacts might be contaminating the EEG data. To solve this problem, traditional techniquesinvolve the mathematical removal of trials with eye movement artifacts. Based on pilot data, we proposed thatthe use of SR Research eye monitoring equipment in conjunction with EEG acquisition could be a vastlysuperior method for ensuring appropriate control of the eyes by subjects participating in EEG experiments. Arecent NSERC Interaction grant allowed us to present our pilot findings and this proposal to SR Research, whothen became interested in participating in collaborative research. This NSERC Engage research project willallow us to investigate methodologically whether or not the simultaneous use of eye monitoring andneuroimaging equipment produces better data than traditional techniques. If we are successful, themarket/demand for eye monitoring equipment will be significantly expanded and, because our project will befeaturing eye monitoring equipment provided by SR Research, this Canadian firm should garner significantbenefit in terms of reputation and sales. Although this is the immediate impetus for the proposed research, weare hopeful that a successful interaction will foster a long-lasting collaborative relationship between SRResearch and Klein's cognitive neuroscience laboratory at Dalhousie University.