Decoding Eye Blink and Related EEG Activity in Realistic Working Environments

Accurately evaluating cognitive load during work-related tasks in complex real-world environments is challenging, leading researchers to investigate the use of eye blinking as a fundamental pacing mechanism for segmenting EEG data and understanding the neural mechanisms associated with cognitive workload. Yet, little is known about the temporal dynamics of eye blinks and related visual processing in relation to the representation of task-specific information. Therefore, we analyzed EEG responses from two experiments involving simulated driving (re-active and pro-active) with three levels of task load for each, as well as operating a steam engine (active vs. passive), to decode the temporal dynamics of eye blink activity and the subsequent neural activity that follows blinking. As a result, we successfully decoded the binary representation of difficulty levels for pro-active driving using multivariate pattern analysis. However, the decoding level varied for different re-active driving conditions, which could be attributed to the required level of alertness. Furthermore, our study revealed that it was possible to decode both driving types as well as steam engine operating conditions, with the most significant decoding activity observed approximately 200 ms after a blink. Additionally, our findings suggest that eye blinks have considerable potential for decoding various cognitive states that may not be discernible through neural activity, particularly near the peak of the blink. The findings demonstrate the potential of blink-related measures alongside EEG data to decode cognitive states during complex tasks, with implications for improving evaluations of cognitive and behavioral states during tasks, such as driving and operating machinery.