Detection and classification of subject-generated artifacts in EEG signals using autoregressive models

We examine the problem of accurate detection and classification of artifacts in continuous EEG recordings. Manual identification of artifacts, by means of an expert or panel of experts, can be tedious, time-consuming and infeasible for large datasets. We use autoregressive (AR) models for feature extraction and characterization of EEG signals containing several kinds of subject-generated artifacts. AR model parameters are scale-invariant features that can be used to develop models of artifacts across a population. We use a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to discriminate among artifact conditions using the AR model parameters as features. Results indicate reliable classification among several different artifact conditions across subjects (approximately 94%). These results suggest that AR modeling can be a useful tool for discriminating among artifact signals both within and across individuals.