Method for predicting efficacy of a stimulus by measuring physiological response to stimuli

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for determining an efficacy of a stimulus based on one or more measurable physiological responses to one or more stimuli including one or more stimulus features. Data is acquired on physiological responses of a group of one or more subjects to presentation of one or more stimuli including one or more stimulus features. The data on the one or more physiological responses of the one or more subjects is correlated with the presentation of the one or more stimulus features included in the one or more stimuli. The correlated data on the one or more physiological responses are associated with a separately-determined efficacy of the one or more stimuli to form a stimulus efficacy model. From this information, a projected efficacy of a stimulus is determinable by comparing one or more subsequently-measured physiological responses to the stimulus with the stimulus efficacy model.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method to predict an efficacy of a stimulus based on one or more previously-measured physiological responses to one or more stimuli including one or more stimulus features, the method comprising:
 acquiring data on physiological responses of one or more subjects to presentation of one or more stimuli including one or more stimulus features;   forming a first data matrix tracking the one or more stimulus features included in the one or more stimuli tracked against a time over which the one or more stimulus features included in the one or more stimuli were presented;   forming a second data matrix including one or more physiological responses of the one or more subjects to which the one or more stimulus features included in the one or more stimuli were presented tracked against the time over which the one or more stimulus features included in the one or more stimuli were presented;   associating a separately-determined efficacy of the one or more stimuli as determined from at least one of the one or more subjects and an additional group of one or more subjects with the one or more resulting physiological responses; and   applying statistical processing to correlate the separately-determined efficacy of the one or more stimuli with the data on the one or more physiological responses to determine a projected efficacy of a stimulus based on subsequently-measured physiological responses to the stimulus.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the data on the one or more physiological responses are acquired by one or more of:
 electroencephalography (EEG);   electrocardiography (EKG);   galvanic skin response;   heart rate monitoring;   respiration rate monitoring;   eye tracking; and   pupillometry.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein when the data on the one or more physiological responses are measured by electroencephalography, further comprising forming the model by temporally filtering the presentation of each of the one or more stimulus features included in the one or more stimuli by spatially filtering the one or more physiological responses from the electroencephalography. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a statistical process is used to regress the first data matrix of onto the second data matrix. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the statistical process includes canonical correlation analysis. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein correlation between the one or more stimulus features included in the one or more stimuli and the one or more physiological responses is represented by one or more eigenvalues. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein correlating the data on the one or more physiological responses of the one or more subjects includes inter-subject correlation between the one or more subjects. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the inter-subject correlation includes a group-level inter-subject correlation. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled)