An Evaluation of Left and Right Brain Dominance using Electroencephalogram Signal

• Published in: Engineering letters Vol. 28; no. 4; p. 1358
• Main Authors: Lim, Z Y, Sim, K S, Tan, S C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hong Kong International Association of Engineers 23.11.2020
• Subjects: Brain; Brain research; Dominance; Education; Electroencephalography; Independent component analysis; Power spectral density; Training
• ISSN: 1816-093X; 1816-0948

The left and right brain dominance theory has been established for decades. Besides, the left and right brain balancing education concept and training have also been developed for years. Currently, the only way to determine a person whether is left or right brain dominance is by making a questionnaire assessment. There is no scientific data that can directly reflect brain activity to prove the left and right brain theory as well as the effectiveness of the left and right brain development training. Hence, in this research, it is aimed to determine whether the electroencephalography (EEG) signal has any correlation with the brain dominance level. The brain dominance level of the subject is determined and benchmarked by using the Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) test, a popular testing tool utilized by innumerable multinational companies to determine employee's brain dominance level. As the captured raw EEG signal is complicated and noisy, several preprocessing methods are utilized to eliminate the unwanted noise and artifacts efficiently from the acquired signal. The techniques are namely baseline correction method, electrical line noise removal, and independent component analysis (ICA). Besides, significant features can be hardly determined from the time-based EEG signal with high complexity. Hence, the EEG Topographical Power Spectral Density Percentage (EEGTPSDP) method is implemented to analyze the EEG signal. By using the results computed by EEGTPSDP method, it proves that there is a strong correlation between the brain dominance level and EEG power spectral density on one hemisphere. Hence, this research is able to validate the left and right brain dominance theory according to the EEG signal. The implemented EEGTPSDP method can be used to classify the dominant brain of a person. In this way, this research is able to contribute to the education field by determining the students' brain dominance level and track their learning progress based on the EEG signal in a scientific approach.