Eye Tracking Project 

TEAM: 

Phi Theta Kappa Honors In Action Team

Danbee Chae- dchae@me.bergen.edu  

MENTOR: 

Angie Goldszmidtz, Dr. Coleen DiLauro 

BLOG:

January 2, 2020 - Danbee Chae 

All of the technical aspect of our project was completed before winter break, so our goal during the internship was to collect data from more subjects to reach our goal of 150 subjects. 

January 3, 2020 - Danbee Chae 

All subjects were calibrated to the Gazepoint eye-tracker, before being assigned randomly to one of three groups. Our graphic design team created four videos in total, all with a negative connotation. Every group would watch two videos, followed by a vote for either candidate or neither, and the reasons why. Participants were supplied with noise-canceling headphones and were seated in a controlled environment to minimize external factors.The first group contained the two control videos, both unedited videos of each candidate smearing each other. The second group had the first control, but the second video contained a symbol. Finally, the third group replaced the symbol with a subliminal message. Through the Gazepoint eye-tracking device, we were able to determine whether participants viewed, fixated, and revisited the areas of the ad that contained the subliminal messaging. This data allowed us to study the correlation between viewing the subliminal message and its effect on voting behavior. 

The Gazepoint GP3 is designed to track the subject’s pupils by measuring the light reflected by the pupil. As the pupil moves, the device follows the reflected light 

Image of a subject being calibrated to the device. 

Control: No Manipulation to Ads 

Experimental 1: Symbolism

Experimental 2: Subliminal Message 

January 6, 2020 - Danbee Chae 

We collected more data from Bergen students. 

January 7, 2020 - Danbee Chae 

We collected more data from Bergen students. 

January 8, 2020 - Danbee Chae 

We collected more data from Bergen students. 

January 9, 2020 - Danbee Chae 

By the end of the internship, we exceeded our goal and collected data from 180 subjects. In order to analyze our data, we applied key areas of interest(AOI) to each experimental video. Any eye movement in close proximity to these AOI’s registered as a fixation, which signified that the participant did, in fact, look at our visual stimuli. According to our analysis, there was a substantial effect of both symbolic and textual subliminal messaging on an individual’s political inquiry and voter perception. We also presented our project in front of other researchers and afterward started our Honors In Action paper draft. 

A data from a participant who picked up on the AOI of a subliminal message.

January 8th- Erika Marshyti

Having all of the consent forms updated and looked over by our mentor, professor DiLauro, we continued with the research on sugar. We started setting up our literature review document.

(Performing the experiment with a Doughnut on our volunteer Leyki/ picture portrays the use of electro gel while filling the EEG Red cap till the dots on the screen turn from red to green, accentuating the right amount of gel in the designated area).

In addition to this, we laid out the timeline of the next week to collect data from participants. We managed to enroll up to 16 participants to meet the goal of 60 participants in total.

(Screenshot taken by Erika)

We also discussed to set our future goals for January and the coming months:

Collect at least 60 participants t total

• Analyze all data with S.A.R.A software
• Complete the literature review while writing the research report

January 9th- Erika Marshyti 

Today, as the last day of the internship, in the morning hours we continued researching more about how high sugar intake can affect the brain waves. After reading new information, we gathered everything in an organized manner, and we saved everything for future reference. Later on, during the day, we concluded the PowerPoint that we were going to present on the final presentations at 2:30 PM. Later, we shared our parts and we started practicing. Once all of the presentations were over, we headed back to the old STEM room, we collected all of our equipment, and we put everything in our designated cabinet.

January 6th- Andry Lupuche

After several hours of literature research, we found interesting research on sugar. According to the article “Sugar addiction: Is it real? A narrative review” from the British Journal of Sports Medicine, August 2017, sugar is equal or even more addictive than heroin and cocaine due to its white crystalline form, which behaves like a chemical or drug. Also, when the brain is low in dopamine (brain neurotransmitter and hormone), this leads to withdrawals following for a perpetual sugar intake which leads to addictive behavior. Another important point to mention is that according to applied studies in both animals and humans there are substantial parallels and overlap between drug abuse and sugar, from the standpoint of brain neurochemistry as well as behavior. Because of these findings, the team believes that a deeper knowledge of the fundamentals of addiction will allow people to make informed decisions in their own lives, to adopt healthy lifestyles to reduce the abuse of refined sugars in their diets and to support scientific research that improves the well-being of the community.

 (Visual map created by Andry Lupuche)

In addition to this, the team refined the details of the experimental procedure, which consists of the following steps: 

1. Set up the equipment on the old Stem room bench (brain master machine, syringes, special gel, donuts, and juice).

2. Have the participants close their eyes for the entire length of the experiment, to limit the artifacts collected from the device.

3. Keep a safe and pacific environment in the room.

4. Give instructions to the participants when the food was going to be administrated to them, and how to sip from the juice cup.

January 7th - Andry Lobuche

We managed to record data from three participants! However, the data recorded presented a lot of errors due to the artifacts like movements when chewing and sipping. Because of this, we decided to save the data anyways and discussed the new experimental design. It is illustrated in the following image.

(Visual map created by Andry Lupuche, Images obtained from google images)

Description of the experimental design:

• Before eating: the participant will be watching a slideshow of images of food with high content of sugar while data will be collected.
• Eating the doughnut with cookie (to exceed the content of the suggested amount per day): no data will be collected.
• After eating: the participant will watch the same slideshow of pictures while brain wave activity will be recorded.
  
  

From this well thought design, we will be able to take a video of the activity of our brain frequencies and the brain pattern before and after eating food rich in sugar. We expect to see frequencies and patterns that are like the ones for opioid addiction and alcoholics.

Electroencephalogram (EEG) Project

TEAM: 

Adelajda Turku- aturku@me.bergen.edu

Andry S. Lupuche Rodriguez- andrysofia_10@outlook.es

Erika Marshyti- emarshyti118686@me.bergen.edu

MENTOR:

Dr. Coleen Dilauro- cdilauro@bergen.edu

BLOG:

http://eegstem.blogspot.com 

January 2nd- Adelajda Turku

The first day, along with our mentor Dr. Dilauro, we decided to focus on the EEG project to study the effects of sugar on brain-wave activity patterns. After that, we set the following goals for the project:

Day 1

• Discuss the experimental design to show the effect of sugar in the brainwave activity pattern
• Explore the literature review on similar studies conducted with sugar 
• Update the consent form for participants

Day 2

• Test for equipment functionality and run a test case
• Have access to S.A.R.A software to analyze data (email the Netherlands at the headquarters)

Day 3/ Day 4

• Research literature review on addiction 
• Finalize experimental design
• Enroll participants and collect data

Day 5/ Day 6

• Enroll more participants to collect data
• Set future goals
  
  

In addition to that, we discussed the possible experimental design to conduct the study. We researched the food with the highest content of sugar and that could be purchased in the vicinity of the campus. Based on the research conducted, we agreed that Boston cream doughnut with a fruit juice was the perfect option and could have been purchased at the cafeteria of the campus at Dunkin Donut. In fact, this exceeded the limit of 27g of sugar per day. Additionally, we researched the ingredients in the main website of Dunkin Donut to include them in the Consent form for any food allergy. We updated the Consent form to the following one:

STEM Student Union

Psychophysiology and Neurophysiology Experimentation and Research

            Research Director                                           

Dr. Coleen C. Di Lauro                                   

cdilauro@bergen.edu                                     

(201) 926-9000                                               

Consent Form 

The purpose of this study is to allow participants to learn about the human brain and nervous system.  Participants will learn to use test equipment and perform laboratory exercises to monitor the nervous system. In addition, participants will learn to develop their own devices with which the nervous system interacts. 

You are invited to participate in this study on a voluntary basis by signing up for and satisfactorily completing training for use of each piece of test equipment and implementation of laboratory techniques therein.  All training shall be conducted by a Research Director.

 Some equipment and laboratory exercises involve attaching multiple electrodes directly to your body at various locations on your head and/or on your skin at locations of key muscles using an adhesive meant for that purpose.  In addition, a conductive gel may be applied between the electrode and your skin. This gel may feel cold. Also, to hold the electrodes in place on your head, a head cap holding multiple electrodes might be worn. The head cap covers the top of the head and wraps tightly around the chin so as to be held securely in place.  In some instances, in the course of implementing laboratory exercises, electrodes or a head cap may be worn for more than an hour. 

The instrument utilized is the Electroencephalogram (EEG) Brain Master Technology Discovery, which is a non-invasive tool to collect data on brain activity. The project aims to study the effects of sugar on the human brain. For this, doughnuts from Dunkin Donut and juice from the cafeteria will be purchased and available to the participants for the course of the study. The ingredient of the purchased doughnuts and juice is available to check for food allergies. 

During each experiment that involves data collection, data pertaining to you will be stored on the Alienware laptop accessible only with a secured password. Your information on the Alienware laptop will be encoded with an alpha-numerical identification system. This practice ensures privacy. The Alienware laptop will be secure in the STEM Center and accessible only upon request to the faculty mentor Dr. Coleen DiLauro.

You will receive no additional compensation for participation in this study other than compensation you might normally be receiving as part of an ongoing internship.

If you feel that you have been injured as a result of participating in the demonstration, notify the person administering the test immediately. The person administering the test must escort any injured participant to Public Safety, document the incident and injury, and as soon as circumstances permit, notify a Research Director. 

Your signature on this form means that you understand the information presented and that you want to participate in the study.  You understand that participation is voluntary and you may withdraw from the study at any time. Your signature is an acknowledgment that you do not have any physical or mental condition that may be aggravated by participation in this study or that if an exacerbation of such a condition occurs, you would cease participation indefinitely.  You also acknowledge that you are over 18 years of age. 

Ingredients of doughnut retrieved from:  

https://www.dunkindonuts.com/en/food-drinks/donuts/donuts

Hereby I have read the ingredients’ list and I certify I have no known food allergies on these. 

________________________________                    _______________________________

Signature of Participant                                              Printed Name of Participant

January 3rd- Adelajda Turku

The second day of the winter internship was more practical: in the morning we discussed the project idea with Dr. Dilauro showing her the Consent Form for approval. Later during the day, we checked the equipment and run a test trial. The RedCap and the Brain Master Technology Discovery, the instruments utilized to record brain wave activity, showed some issues. The RedCap was properly worn. However, the Brain Master Technology platform on the computer screen was not recording information on the two frontal electrodes. After cleaning the RedCap carefully and putting more gel on the electrodes, we managed to fix only one electrode. Since the other electrode is not recording information, we will eliminate this error with the S.A.R.A software which erases all artifacts. We discussed with Dr. Dilauro to take care of this inconvenience and contact assistance.

(Picture taken by Andry/ Adele volunteering for the test trail to check the equipment)

(Picture taken by Adelajda/ Sample of brainwave-activity pattern recorded during the session)

After recording and saving the data, we logged into S.A.R.A. software to clear all the artifacts. We were not able to proceed because of the contract expiration. We contacted the headquarters in the Netherlands after discussing with Dr. Dilauro on the plan of action on this setback.