Patent Description:
Currently, there are no reliable tools able to assess at which level of cognitive control an operator/user is dealing with in a human-machine interface (HMI) (see the Literature of Reference No. <NUM> of the List of Incorporated Literature References). An HMI is a component of a device (e.g., sensors attached to users, processing unit to extract useful information, display to show output to users) that is capable of handling human-machine interactions. The interface consists of hardware and software that allows user inputs to be translated as signals for machines that provide the required result to the user.

Some HMI designs have utilized questionnaires, such as the NASA task load index (NASA-TLX) which is a subjective, multi-dimensional assessment tool that rates perceived workload in order to assess a task, system, user, or team's effectiveness or other aspects of performance. Using questionnaires, such as NASA TLX, in HMI design are argued to be inadequate to understand some forms of dynamic information in user's cognitive and emotional states.

Researchers have also used electroencephalogram (EEG) signals to control HMIs and extract user's mental states (see Literature Reference Nos. <NUM> and <NUM>). However EEG collection, even when using current state-of-the-art "easy-cap" and dry electrodes technologies, is not convenient for users who do not appreciate wearing EEG caps (usability factor). Furthermore, current HMI are context-dependent and the interface is not generalizable to other operational contexts. Extraction of useful EEG features in operational contexts sometimes requires extensive data cleaning and pre-processing steps and mostly relies on event-related potential (ERP) signals, not continuous recording of EEG (see Literature Reference No. <NUM>).

In addition, heart rate variability (HRV) sensors and galvanic skin response (GSR) sensors have been used to detect mental, cognitive, and physical states, such as stress and physical activity (see Literature Reference Nos. <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>). However, there are limitations in the accuracy of using those signals because different cognitive states in different contexts may produce similar HRV/GSR outputs, which make it difficult to discriminate different levels of cognitive workload.

Despite rich information content in bio-signals (such as HRV and GSR), their fusion with EEG has not been employed and, thus, current designs in EEG-based HMI, such as one proposed by ARL-HRED (see Literature Reference No. <NUM>) suffer from lack of a universal and robust feature (in the case of degraded EEG quality), especially in dynamic contexts. Most state-of-the-art studies have only been tested in laboratory environments and not in operational fields. Further, the studies are very limited to work under certain conditions, such as high signal to noise ratio for EEG signals, which is not practical in operational situations. For example, it is not practical to ask soldiers in battlefields to wear an EEG headset (even with few electrodes), since the headsets are heavy and very susceptible to noises (e.g., motion artifacts). The state-of-the-art currently lacks capacity to personalize a user-centered HMI.

Recently, many studies have been done to detect the user's state by developing non-invasive and wearable technologies using different forms of bio-signals (signals from brain, heart, muscles, and pupils). However, most of the HMIs are static (see Literature Reference No. <NUM>) and force the users to adapt themselves to variations in operational situations without considering the users' cognitive/mental state. This lack of adaptability in different operational conditions (i.e., deteriorated conditions such as working under stress for rapid task execution, or extreme changes in the operational situations) limits the performance in a human-in-the-loop system. In other words, the machine doesn't utilize extracted bio-signals/states for its adaptation to the user and current context. The lack of interface adaptability in different operational conditions (i.e., deteriorated conditions such as working under stress for rapid task execution, or extreme changes in the operational situations) is one of the most important issues in previous research in the HMI area. <CIT> discloses a cognitive and affective human machine interface. <CIT> discloses a brain computer interface (BCI) system based on gathered temporal and spatial patterns of biophysical signals. An article by <NPL>, discloses a study to investigate the feasibility of physiological metrics such as ECG-derived heart rate and EEG-derived cognitive workload and engagement as potential predictors of performance on different training tasks.

Thus, a continuing need exists for an advanced personalized HMI that can utilize extracted bio-signals from a user for its adaptation to the user and the current situation or application environment.

The present invention relates to a system for personalizing a human-machine interface device as defined in claim <NUM>.

The present invention also concerns a computer program product as defined in claim <NUM> and a computer implemented method as defined in claim <NUM>.

Aspects, embodiments, implementations and examples of the present disclosure which do not fall within the scope of the appended claims are not part of the present invention.

The objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions of the various aspects of the disclosure in conjunction with reference to the following drawings, where:.

The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and to incorporate it in the context of particular applications. Various modifications, as well as a variety of uses in different applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to a wide range of aspects. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the aspects presented, but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All the features disclosed in this specification, (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Before describing the invention in detail, first a list of cited references is provided.

The following references are cited and are listed herein as a central resource for the reader. The references are cited in the application by referring to the corresponding literature reference number, as follows:.

Various aspects of the present disclosure include three "principal" aspects. The first is a system for personalizing a human-machine interface device. The system is typically in the form of a computer system operating software or in the form of a "hard-coded" instruction set. This system may be incorporated into a wide variety of devices that provide different functionalities. The second principal aspect is a method, typically in the form of software, operated using a data processing system (computer). The third principal aspect is a computer program product. The computer program product generally represents computer-readable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as an optical storage device, e.g., a compact disc (CD) or digital versatile disc (DVD), or a magnetic storage device such as a floppy disk or magnetic tape. Other, non-limiting examples of computer-readable media include hard disks, read-only memory (ROM), and flash-type memories. These aspects will be described in more detail below.

A block diagram depicting an example of a system (i.e., computer system <NUM>) of the present invention is provided in <FIG>. The computer system <NUM> is configured to perform calculations, processes, operations, and/or functions associated with a program or algorithm. In one aspect, certain processes and steps discussed herein are realized as a series of instructions (e.g., software program) that reside within computer readable memory units and are executed by one or more processors of the computer system <NUM>. When executed, the instructions cause the computer system <NUM> to perform specific actions and exhibit specific behavior, such as described herein.

The computer system <NUM> may include an address/data bus <NUM> that is configured to communicate information. Additionally, one or more data processing units, such as a processor <NUM> (or processors), are coupled with the address/data bus <NUM>. The processor <NUM> is configured to process information and instructions. In an aspect, the processor <NUM> is a microprocessor. Alternatively, the processor <NUM> may be a different type of processor such as a parallel processor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), programmable logic array (PLA), complex programmable logic device (CPLD), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

The computer system <NUM> is configured to utilize one or more data storage units. The computer system <NUM> may include a volatile memory unit <NUM> (e.g., random access memory ("RAM"), static RAM, dynamic RAM, etc.) coupled with the address/data bus <NUM>, wherein a volatile memory unit <NUM> is configured to store information and instructions for the processor <NUM>. The computer system <NUM> further may include a non-volatile memory unit <NUM> (e.g., read-only memory ("ROM"), programmable ROM ("PROM"), erasable programmable ROM ("EPROM"), electrically erasable programmable ROM "EEPROM"), flash memory, etc.) coupled with the address/data bus <NUM>, wherein the non-volatile memory unit <NUM> is configured to store static information and instructions for the processor <NUM>. Alternatively, the computer system <NUM> may execute instructions retrieved from an online data storage unit such as in "Cloud" computing. In an aspect, the computer system <NUM> also may include one or more interfaces, such as an interface <NUM>, coupled with the address/data bus <NUM>. The one or more interfaces are configured to enable the computer system <NUM> to interface with other electronic devices and computer systems. The communication interfaces implemented by the one or more interfaces may include wireline (e.g., serial cables, modems, network adaptors, etc.) and/or wireless (e.g., wireless modems, wireless network adaptors, etc.) communication technology.

In one aspect, the computer system <NUM> may include an input device <NUM> coupled with the address/data bus <NUM>, wherein the input device <NUM> is configured to communicate information and command selections to the processor <NUM>. In accordance with one aspect, the input device <NUM> is an alphanumeric input device, such as a keyboard, that may include alphanumeric and/or function keys. Alternatively, the input device <NUM> may be an input device other than an alphanumeric input device. In an aspect, the computer system <NUM> may include a cursor control device <NUM> coupled with the address/data bus <NUM>, wherein the cursor control device <NUM> is configured to communicate user input information and/or command selections to the processor <NUM>. In an aspect, the cursor control device <NUM> is implemented using a device such as a mouse, a track-ball, a track-pad, an optical tracking device, or a touch screen. The foregoing notwithstanding, in an aspect, the cursor control device <NUM> is directed and/or activated via input from the input device <NUM>, such as in response to the use of special keys and key sequence commands associated with the input device <NUM>. In an alternative aspect, the cursor control device <NUM> is configured to be directed or guided by voice commands.

In an aspect, the computer system <NUM> further may include one or more optional computer usable data storage devices, such as a storage device <NUM>, coupled with the address/data bus <NUM>. The storage device <NUM> is configured to store information and/or computer executable instructions. In one aspect, the storage device <NUM> is a storage device such as a magnetic or optical disk drive (e.g., hard disk drive ("HDD"), floppy diskette, compact disk read only memory ("CD-ROM"), digital versatile disk ("DVD")). Pursuant to one aspect, a display device <NUM> is coupled with the address/data bus <NUM>, wherein the display device <NUM> is configured to display video and/or graphics. In an aspect, the display device <NUM> may include a cathode ray tube ("CRT"), liquid crystal display ("LCD"), field emission display ("FED"), plasma display, or any other display device suitable for displaying video and/or graphic images and alphanumeric characters recognizable to a user.

The computer system <NUM> presented herein is an example computing environment in accordance with an aspect. However, the non-limiting example of the computer system <NUM> is not strictly limited to being a computer system. For example, an aspect provides that the computer system <NUM> represents a type of data processing analysis that may be used in accordance with various aspects described herein. Moreover, other computing systems may also be implemented. Indeed, the spirit and scope of the present technology is not limited to any single data processing environment. Thus, in an aspect, one or more operations of various aspects of the present technology are controlled or implemented using computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. In one implementation, such program modules include routines, programs, objects, components and/or data structures that are configured to perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. In addition, an aspect provides that one or more aspects of the present technology are implemented by utilizing one or more distributed computing environments, such as where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network, or such as where various program modules are located in both local and remote computer-storage media including memory-storage devices.

An illustrative diagram of a computer program product (i.e., storage device) embodying the present invention is depicted in <FIG>. The computer program product is depicted as floppy disk <NUM> or an optical disk <NUM> such as a CD or DVD. However, as mentioned previously, the computer program product generally represents computer-readable instructions stored on any compatible non-transitory computer-readable medium. The term "instructions" as used with respect to this invention generally indicates a set of operations to be performed on a computer, and may represent pieces of a whole program or individual, separable, software modules. Non-limiting examples of "instruction" include computer program code (source or object code) and "hard-coded" electronics (i.e. computer operations coded into a computer chip). The "instruction" is stored on any non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as in the memory of a computer or on a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, and a flash drive. In either event, the instructions are encoded on a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

Described is an electroencephalography (EEG)-free and neuro-adaptive human-in-the-loop system utilizing a Universal Mental-State Model (UM2) to improve the interaction quality, performance, and collaboration between human and machine. The developed model is personalized to each individual user and can be deployed in a fielded application for continuous adaptation of the machine to its user's mental states. This real-time adaptation will, consequently, reduce the user's mental/physical workloads (i.e., efforts).

Physical and cognitive readiness are interdependent. <FIG> illustrates the flow of information in the system for personalizing a HMI device according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Sensor data is obtained from body wearables (element <NUM>) to determining a user model (element <NUM>). The user model (element <NUM>) is used to generate an estimation of cognitive load (element <NUM>), which is utilized in applications (element <NUM>) in fields, such as training, human-machine interfaces (HMIs), user and group monitoring, and threat detection. Input signals (e.g., GSR, HRV, EKG, Video) will be recorded in the Z domain and transferred to the Y domain, which is a rich space in terms of information value. Then, another mapping is performed to map Y to a single variable (electrocardiogram (EKG, for example). The g function is an inverse of the ƒ function. The α function is used to map the single variable (e.g., EKG) to cognitive load, which can be used in variety of application such as training, HMI, squad monitoring, and threat detection.

Cognitive load (element <NUM>) can be estimated using robust body sensing via sensors (element <NUM>), such as galvanic skin response (GSR) sensors and heart rate variability (HRV) sensors. The system described herein is a unique approach to cognitive load prediction (element <NUM>) with a personalized user model (element <NUM>) that is context-independent and EEG-free, yet based on neural signatures. Deployment of the personalized user model (element <NUM>) in a fielded application (element <NUM>) continuously adapts the HMI to its user's mental and physical states to reduce workload and enhance decision making. Non-limiting examples of benefits include assessing user (e.g., soldier, pilot, amputee, disabled person) readiness and improving the interaction quality, performance, and collaboration in real world applications and between the user and human/machine counterpart(s).

As described above, the method described herein generates a universal mental state model (element <NUM>) utilizing the fusion of subjective data (e.g., amplitude of EEG, amplitude of GSR) as well as environmental sensors (element <NUM>) (e.g., cameras, microphones (audio), thermometers (temperature)) in a training phase (element <NUM>), as shown in <FIG>. Data from the environmental sensors (element <NUM>) can be fused with the subjective data using either a relationship based method or an abstraction based method, such as that described in Literature Reference No. <NUM>.

For each user, basic and context-independent principal cognitive components (or features) are examined during feature extraction (element <NUM>) while the subjective data and environmental sensors are recorded (see Literature Reference No. <NUM>). For EEG data, features related to entropy can be extracted, while changes in time-frequency features can be extracted for ExG sensors. EEG entropy quantifies an amount of uncertainty or randomness in the EEG pattern. Using advanced machine learning methods (see Literature Reference No. <NUM>), a relationship between the collected multi-resolution signals is identified to develop the context-independent user cognitive model (element <NUM>). In short, the method consists of a training and a testing phase. In the training phase, the method uses high resolution data and morphs it to template high-resolution data through optimal transport maps. Next, the system learns a subspace for the calculated optimal transport maps. A transport map in this subspace can then be applied to the template data to synthesize high-resolution data. In the testing phase, the goal is to reconstruct a high-resolution data from the low-resolution input data. The method searches for a synthetic high-resolution data (generated from the transport subspace) that provides a corresponding low-resolution data which is similar to the input low-resolution data.

During data collection (element <NUM>) in the training phase (element <NUM>), the user's cognitive capabilities are examined using principal cognitive tests, such as performance questionnaires, EEG, and ExG (such as GSR and HRV). In addition, the training can be more focused to a specific task by performing the training on the task. EEG has shown to be a reliable identifier of human's cognitive state/load. Therefore, during data collection (element <NUM>), EEG, cognitive state dependent biological signals (ExG: GSR and HRV), and task performance information are collected while testing users. Pre-processing (element <NUM>) of the data collected may be necessary. For instance, noise cancellation using proper filter settings as well as more advanced methods, such as ICA (independent component analysis), can be utilized.

In generation of the universal mental model (element <NUM>) and during machine (or transfer) learning, a recursive neural network (RNN) is generated to learn the temporal transfer function (function ƒ in <FIG>) between extracted features from EEG and ExG. A RNN is a deep neural network created by applying the same set of weights recursively over a structured input to generate a structured prediction over variable-size input structures, or a scalar prediction on it, by transversing a given structure in topological order. In the transfer learning approach, instead of random weights, allocation weights are set using all of the already collected datasets. Later, the model will be refined or fine-tuned using data for an individual user (personalized model (element <NUM>)). If the action/context detection is necessary, then an unsupervised context detection approach will be utilized. An example of an unsupervised context detection approach is detecting if an operation is done in the day or night based on lighting condition changes.

In an operational phase (element <NUM>), EEG sensors will be detached from the user, and the user's profile (i.e., mental states) can be deduced from data collection (element <NUM>) using the remaining sensors in a fielded operation (i.e., ExG). A cognitive basis set of tasks from feature extraction (element <NUM>) is developed that deploys a universal mental model (UM2) (element <NUM>) capable of prediction of <NUM>) cognitive load (element <NUM>), and <NUM>) task performance in real world applications (element <NUM>). The new features (element <NUM>) in the operational phase (element <NUM>) are used to adapt the UM2 (element <NUM>). Performance will vary according to task dimensions, including mental and physical effort, frustration, task difficulty, and temporal dynamics. In a collaborative phase (element <NUM>), a user's inputs (element <NUM>) can be translated into commands for an HMI (element <NUM>), which are detected through command detection (element <NUM>), and a trustable output (element <NUM>) is generated. For instance, an HMI (e.g., robot) can be commanded to move forward with a joystick. The HMI can include motion sensors, keyboards, speech-recognition interfaces, touchscreens, and any other machine component that allows information (e.g., sight, sound, heat) to be exchanged between a human user and a machine. For example, data can be displayed to the user in a graphical format through a graphical user interface (GUI).

Because of rich information content in the UM2 approach, any HMI (element <NUM>) which utilizes a neuro-adaptive body sensing for user states (NABSUS) framework is able to detect and track a user's state continuously. Additionally, an HMI (element <NUM>) utilizing NABSUS can detect abrupt variations in the interaction between the user and the HMI (element <NUM>), such as existing noise in the system (i.e., noisy environment). The NABSUS framework provides a personalized UM2 by continuously adapting to users' previous experiences, changes in skill level, an extent of distraction, mental traits, and physical state, such as fatigue. By understanding the user's state, the HMI tries to increase/decrease its interaction in order to increase the overall task performance. This unique neuro-adaptive approach will substantially leverage the context awareness and skill of partnering humans and machine for future autonomous systems, because it has been shown that users don't trust over simplified HMIs.

<FIG> illustrates a diagram comparing a machine's effort and human's effort. A human's effort increases towards complication and cognitive overload. Similarly, a machine's effort increases towards making the interface simple but not too simple. Decision support systems (element <NUM>) provide supportive information. Examples of decision support systems (element <NUM>) include systems which can help users to make better judgment under various situations. For example, if the user is under a lot of stress, then it is a possibility to make more mistakes. Now, the HMI can interact with the user and prompt him about his "irrational" decision.

The user must get adapted to the system, but the execution is entirely on the user, such that cognitive load is high. Co-adaptive systems (element <NUM>) rely mostly on sensors' data from the environment and the user's physiological states, such that mind and body work together. The system changes itself with respect to the status of its user. Finally, in a (semi-) autonomous systems (element <NUM>), which is the target of NABSUS, the main issue is gaining the user's trust. Trust, or believing that HMIs will do what they were designed to do, is critical to deriving the most value from autonomous systems. Autonomous systems are vital in terms of untapped efficiency and effectiveness, for a host of new applications in domains such as health, defense, aviation, and agriculture. Many companies are propelling the technology boom by developing or investing in the most advanced robots and autonomous systems. However, the most advanced technologies will not matter if humans do not adopt, trust, or feel comfortable using them. For example, people treat separate computers as individual entities in a social context, even while admitting that they assume only one programmer is behind them both. This finding was extended to assume that participants might treat separate artificial intelligence (AI) software versions with different names as individual entities.

<FIG> depicts a user (element <NUM>) wearing commercially available sensors (element <NUM>) and a camera (element <NUM>). The camera (element <NUM>) is used to help understand users' motions, facial gestures, and, in general, the context. Depending on the application of the HMI, the type of camera may be changed (e.g., night vision camera). During training for each user (element <NUM>), biological signals (element <NUM>) related to the user's state including, EEG, electrocardiogram (ECG), and GSR are recorded using the wearable sensors (element <NUM>) while the user (element <NUM>) is performing a task in a virtual reality simulation environment, such as driving a car, piloting an aircraft, or sniper training. These biological signals are captured in the data collection stage (element <NUM>), shown in <FIG>. The task performance metrics (such as completion time, accuracy, trajectory smoothness), environmental conditions (such as darkness level, air condition), and user's self-/supervisory reports (e.g., NASA TLX) can also be measured during performing the task. Then, important biometric features (extracted through feature extraction (element <NUM>)) related to a user's mental effort (e.g., brain entropy in alpha and beta bands (see Literature Reference Nos. <NUM> and <NUM>) and physical status (e.g., muscular fatigue by extracting spectrogram of EMG) will be extracted to determine a user's state.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating the training phase (element <NUM>) and the operational phase (element <NUM>). In the training phase (element <NUM>), a user model (element <NUM>) is determined according to the following: <MAT> where<MAT> <MAT> where T denotes time period of recording, N denotes the number of samples in each calculation, and Pi denotes a probability density function of X.

Afterward, using a Generalized Linear Model (GLM) (element <NUM>), EEG entropy will be correlated with biometric data (EMGRMS) as well as performance metrics to generate a personalized and universal user model (element <NUM>) as follows: <MAT> <MAT> <MAT> where B represents a weighting matrix, g is the inverse of the f function in <FIG>, V denotes variance, and E is an expected value. The model is initially universal, meaning the model can be used by every user, and over time becomes personalized as it adapts to a specific user. By employing a thresholding method which is sensitive to the changes of the user's state (first derivation of the entropy; if V(Y) > threshold), the obtained model (element <NUM>) can predict/track a user's mental state based on his/her current state. In other words, if the user is stressed the entropy is high and above a certain threshold. In the operational phase (element <NUM>), a bio-adaptive human machine interface (HMI) (element <NUM>) according to embodiments of the present disclosure utilizes the extracted bio-signals/states for its adaptation to the user and current context (e.g., task difficulty, time of the task, number of teammates).

<FIG> illustrates a block diagram of the closed-loop system described herein in operation. Using EEG data (element <NUM>) from the user and the GLM (element <NUM>), a cortical activation estimation (element <NUM>) of EEG data (element <NUM>) is performed. Based on the cortical activation, brain stimulation (element <NUM>) is applied via electrodes (e.g., tCS electrode (element <NUM>)) positioned on the user's scalp. The system provides adequate transcranial stimulation (tCS) (transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)/transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)) neurostimulation feedback to its user to apply necessary changes in the human-in-the-loop system and, consequently, maintain or boost performance metrics. Then, EEG data (element <NUM>) can be obtained again from the user after application of the brain stimulation (element <NUM>).

<FIG> are tables describing prior art methods, their limitations, and comparisons to the system and method described herein. To validate the efficacy of the system and method according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the overall performance of the NABSUS framework's was compared to non-adaptive and non-predictive HMI prior art approaches in which either no or very simple feedback is provided to users. <FIG> shows an experimental design setup and protocol. The approach according to embodiments of the present disclosure has been developed and examined under the aim to identify a universal mental-state model (element <NUM>), which can discriminate cognitive abilities of different users. At this preliminary/exploratory study, EEG data was collected from nine subjects driving a car in virtual reality (element <NUM>) while performing a dual <NUM>) driving and <NUM>) procedural task in the virtual reality driving simulation of various driving scenarios (element <NUM>).

In one embodiment, three levels of difficulty for both <NUM> and <NUM> were designed, resulting in nine difficulty levels, as depicted in the task difficulty matrix (element <NUM>). Once the driving task began, participants were first given an opportunity to drive without a goal within the simulation space to become familiar with the controls of the vehicle (i.e., driving control panel <NUM>). Next, participants were asked to drive five laps on a circuit track with several obstacles (i.e., various driving scenarios (element <NUM>)). As the driving task difficulty level increases, the visibility is decreased, lane width is decreased, more difficult tracks contain sharp turns, and the behavior of obstacles becomes less predictable. Difficulty for the procedural task was increased by asking the participant to input an increasingly complex sequence of buttons when they see a specific type of actor (e.g., cyclists, pedestrians, motorized vehicles) moving on the display screen of the driving control panel (element <NUM>), as outlined in the task difficulty matrix (element <NUM>). After each scenario, the subject was asked to complete a questionnaire (e.g., NASA TLX questionnaire), where users rated their own performance. The entropy of the EEG signal in the alpha frequency range and at the occipital region of the brain (see Literature Reference No. <NUM>) was extracted in each <NUM> milliseconds (ms) time slot.

The results of the invention described, depicted in <FIG>, showed that the brain entropy can discriminate different mental workloads needed to perform a task in different difficulty levels. However, the results of a self-report questionnaire can be misleading as users may be biased and not always rate their performance properly. Each circle in the center plot shows the average brain entropy (x-axis) as well as NASA TLX score (y-axis) for a participant. The circle <NUM> can be extrapolated to the cluster <NUM> of dark and light dots. Dark dots represent brain entropy during easy tasks and light dots represent brain entropy during difficult tasks. In the cluster <NUM>, dark and light dots could not be separated (accuracy < <NUM>%). The subject had good performance (i.e., low entropy) under both difficult and easy conditions and rated them the same NASA TLX score. In a different data point, the circle <NUM> was extrapolated to the cluster <NUM>. The circle <NUM> indicates that the subject rated both difficult and easy conditions with a high NASA TLX score. However, the performance was low, as indicated by the high entropy value. Thus, the NASA TLX score alone would not be able to distinguish between different mental workloads, since the subject rated them the same. The cluster <NUM> shows separation of the dark and light dots (brain entropy during easy and difficult tasks, respectively), indicating that brain entropy can discriminate different conditions needed to perform a task in different difficulty levels.

The NABSUS framework described herein provides efficient methods of interaction in human-in-the-loop systems by utilizing several unique aspects, as described above. Biomarkers (or biosignals) on brain activities are extracted during task performance using brain entropy measures in broadband and a specific frequency domain (such as but not limited to Alpha). EEG signals/features are fused with other related physiological signals such as, but not limited to, EKG, EMG, and GSR. Additionally, the system can identify a correlation between extracted biomarkers and performance indices using multivariate analysis approaches, such as a generalized linear model. The invention described herein can be applied in a variety of applications such as a performance predictor to estimate the temporal sequence of a user's cognitive state (i.e., mental load or disorientation) in new situations (e.g., in flight simulators) and personalize a training environment based on the user's model.

Additionally, the system according to embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to usability evaluation of new designs to examine how a new design/settings in an interface (e.g., plane cockpit, car's interior) or widgets may have an effect on users' performance. This neuro-ergonomic application can eliminate unnecessary modifications in interfaces and make designs more user-centered and customized to the real needs of users.

The system can also be applied as a mental breakdown predictor to develop a human-based warning/assistive computational model which predicts future cognitive performance as well as the maximum level of cognitive strain (such as fatigue and loss of situation awareness (i.e., performance changes) that a user can cope with and prevent accidents caused by mental break-down. Furthermore, the invention can be applied as a closed-loop re-engagement to design closed-loop brain stimulation techniques which can deliver non-invasive stimulus (i.e., tCS) to reorient operators and bring them back to a "mentally safe zone" from the breakdown zone.

The approach described herein can provide important information for detection of emergencies due to the lack of concentration, drowsiness, or too high of mental pressure in safety-critical applications, such as driving or security surveillance, spatial disorientation monitoring, and semi-autonomous vehicles in the automobile industry. In these situations, an alert can be automatically generated by the system. The alert can be a visual alert on a display, an auditory alert, a vibratory alert, or any suitable type of alert to cause the user to become more alert/awake. Furthermore, if lack of concentration or drowsiness is detected, the system can cause an autonomous vehicle to perform an operation, such as stopping (through a braking operation), decreasing speed, or changing a position of the autonomous vehicle.

In addition, the system and method described herein creates an enabling technology for the design process for interfaces in autonomous systems, which are useful for aircraft, automobiles, and many other platforms. For instance, the interface can be used to detect how the passenger feels and adjust the speed and/or position of the autonomous vehicle accordingly.

Claim 1:
A system for personalizing a human-machine interface (HMI) device, the system comprising:
one or more processors and a non-transitory memory having instructions encoded thereon such that when the instructions are executed, the one or more processors perform operations of:
during performance of a task in a simulation environment,
extracting a first set of biometric features from data collected from one or more body sensors; and
extracting a set of brain entropy features from electroencephalogram (EEG) signals;
correlating the set of brain entropy features with the first set of biometric features, resulting in a correlation of features;
generating a mental-state model as a function of the correlation of features, where in generating the mental-state model, the set of brain entropy features are further correlated with a set of performance metrics, wherein the set of performance metrics are obtained during the task performance in the simulation environment; and
deploying the mental-state model in an HMI device during performance of the task in an operational environment for continuous adaptation of the HMI device.