Development of an adaptive cognitive training method using Near-InfraRed spectroscopy

Recently, the numbers of physically handicapped persons and higher brain dysfunctions are increasing in our super-aging society. Rehabilitative training or cognitive training has been studied. Now, more and more studies show that the motivation is important for the effect of such trainings. We focused on the brain function measurement and the technique of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). We hypothesized that brain activity can be used as new indicators to set an appropriate task difficulty for patients. We measured the subjects´ brain activities during tasks using Near-InfraRed Spectroscopy (NIRS). We found that difficult or easy tasks can be determined by the brain activities. We developed a system that changes the difficulty level of the task according to the results of the discrimination of brain activities during tasks. The system can be beneficial for patients to perform cognitive training more effectively.