Multi-resolution dyadic wavelet denoising approach for extraction of visual evoked potentials in the brain

More powerful techniques need to be developed to extract small and weak visual evoked potentials (VEPs) from the spontaneous cerebral electric activity EEG. The authors present a wavelet decomposition algorithm suitable for identification and detection of very weak VEPs. The cross-correlation analysis between Daubechies wavelet (i.e. dbN) functions ψ_N(t), for N=4, 5 ,...,10 and a representative noiseless VEP signal is performed to choose the proper wavelet function, say that with maximum correlation coefficient (highest resemblance) with respect to the representative VEP signal sequence. In this way, the specific choice of the best wavelet prototype function is no longer arbitrary for the application of obtaining pattern reversal VEPs. Extensive clinical experiments have demonstrated that the multiresolution wavelet analysis method can identify and estimate the peak latency of VEP signal well, with only a much reduced trial of ensemble averaging (EA) required. The major advantages of the wavelet transform are that it can ´zoom-in´ to time discontinuities, and that orthonormal bases, localised in time and frequency, can be constructed. With this zoom-in property of the wavelet analysis, the irregularities or abnormalities of signals can easily be detected. Also the characteristics of EP signals can be captured by means of wavelet analysis, which can be further used for the detection and recognition of the abnormalities in the brain.