Our brain is incredibly complex, yet measuring its electrical activity can be surprisingly accessible. In this experiment, we’ll record a type of brain signal called the electroencephalogram (EEG). You’ll learn how to spot the alpha wave—a rhythm first described by Hans Berger over 100 years ago.
About experiment
What Will You Learn?
How to record EEG signals from your own scalp—no drilling required.
Why EEG looks “wavey” and what it can (and can’t) tell us.
The role of synchronous activity in generating detectable rhythms.
How to measure the 10 Hz alpha wave and see it change with eyes open vs. closed.
Background
EEG measures the combined activity of millions of cortical neurons through electrodes placed on the scalp. Hans Berger, intrigued by a near-death incident that spurred thoughts of telepathy, discovered these rhythms in the 1920s. He noticed they change when eyes open or close. You’ll replicate his classic observation and decide what the patterns reveal about visual cortex activity.
Experiment
Pre-Frontal EEG Recording
Materials:
Human SpikerBox
Headband electrode + electrode gel
EKG sticker for ground
Setup & Procedure:
Place headband so rivets touch skin above eyebrows.
Ground electrode on mastoid behind ear.
Apply gel, clip leads (red to rivets, black to ground).
Open SpikeRecorder. Adjust until you see low-amplitude waves.
Think of colours, numbers, stressful vs. relaxing thoughts. Note if raw EEG shifts.
Occipital EEG Recording
Materials: Same kit as above.
Setup & Procedure:
Rotate headband so rivets sit over occipital lobe.
Gel through hair for solid contact.
Record while alternating 10 s eyes open / 10 s eyes closed. Mark each switch.
Results & Analysis
Compare traces. With eyes closed, alpha waves (~10 Hz) usually strengthen and become more regular. Count peaks per second and measure amplitude. Discuss what this says about visual cortex engagement.
EEG Experiments Overview
Welcome to the EEG Experiments section! This space serves as the central hub for all documentation related to our EEG research efforts. It includes detailed protocols, method development notes, experiment logistics, and project updates. Below is a list of key subpages:
Preliminary Results: EEG Study SummaryProvides an overview of key findings from the 9-month EEG study (Oct 2024 – June 2025), including auditory attention decoding (AAD) performance and neural markers of listening effort.
Experimental Protocol for Auditory Attention Detection (AAD) Using EEG:Provides a comprehensive protocol for the AAD study, including task design, phases, and future plans.
Method Development:Focuses on the development and optimization of methods for EEG data acquisition, preprocessing, and analysis.
Finalized Experimental Designs and Data Managements:Providing a comprehensive detailed instructions and documentation regarding the final design of two completed experiments for which data has already been collected.
Running the EEG Experiment at “Room Audiology"A general overview of how to set up and run the auditory attention detection (AAD) experiment at “Room Audiology”.
Generating Multi-Speaker Babble Noise:How the babble noise stimuli were created for use in the second phase of the EEG auditory attention detection experiment.
EEG Preprocessing Pipeline:Describes the EEG data preprocessing pipeline
Noise Interference Concerns in EEG Experiments:
Discusses challenges related to noise interference and strategies to mitigate its impact on EEG data quality.