Abstract：Steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) based brain-computer interfaces (BCI) provide an efficient communication pathway for individuals with severe motor impairments. Conventional SSVEP paradigms typically rely on luminance flicker stimuli, which primarily engage early visual pathways and may therefore be constrained by the response characteristics of the primary visual cortex. To expand the encoding capacity of SSVEP-based systems, it is necessary to explore alternative stimuli capable of engaging richer visual processing mechanisms. However, the response characteristics of semantic visual stimuli under SSVEP paradigms remain insufficiently investigated. In this study, we compared SSVEP responses evoked by faces, cars, Chinese characters, and luminance flicker at four stimulation frequencies (3, 6, 9, and 12 Hz). The results showed that, compared with luminance flicker, semantic stimuli exhibited distinct temporal, spatial, and spectral response patterns. Among the tested stimuli, Chinese characters showed better overall performance, with higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than faces and cars, and better classification performance than luminance flicker in some time windows. Notably, at 6 Hz, character stimuli produced a broader spatial distribution and a peak fundamental SNR of 13.29 dB. These findings suggest that character-based stimulation may offer a promising alternative to luminance flicker and provide new directions for visual encoding in SSVEP-BCI.
李晓阳, 高小榕. 语义刺激与亮度闪烁诱发的稳态视觉诱发电位响应特性对比研究[J]. 中国生物医学工程学报, 2026, 45(4): 416-427.
Li Xiaoyang, Gao Xiaorong. Comparative Study of SSVEP Characteristics Evoked by Semantic Stimuli and Luminance Flicker. Chinese Journal of Biomedical Engineering, 2026, 45(4): 416-427.
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