International Journal of Engineering Insights: (2024) Vol. 2, Nro. 1, Regular Paper

https://doi.org/10.61961/injei.v2i1.16

Real Time Brain Signals Viewer

Celis Gregory · Washington X. Quevedo

Received: 7 January 2024 / Accepted: 2 May 2024 / Published: 14 May 2024

Abstract: This paper addresses the successful integra-

tion of Emotiv EPOC and Unity for real-time visualiza-

tion of brain signals, representing a signiﬁcant advance

in understanding and interacting with brain activity.

Real-time visualization of brain signals oﬀers funda-

mental opportunities in neuroscience, brain-computer

interface, and cognitive therapy. Through this study, a

solid methodology was established to acquire, process,

and graphically represent brain signals in 2D, allowing

for an immersive and research-based experience. The

results, products generated and implications in areas

such as BCI and cognitive therapy are presented. Addi-

tionally, future exploration of integration with virtual

reality and clinical validation is proposed to advance

the understanding and application of real-time brain

activity. This research lays the foundation for low-cost

research and applications, promoting a deeper under-

standing of the human mind and its interaction with

technology.

Keywords Brain signals · 2D visualization · Real

time signals · emotiv-epoc · Unity

1 Introduction

Visualizing brain signals in real time is a fundamental

tool in neuroscience and cognitive research [1]. It en-

ables a deeper understanding of brain activity in var-

ious situations and contexts, opening possibilities for

clinical, research and brain-computer interface (BCI)

applications [2]. Brain wave analysis provides crucial

information about an individual’s mental, emotional,

Celis Gregory

BAGO

Quito, Ecuador

gcelis@bago.com.ec

Washington X. Quevedo

Inmersoft Technologies

Quito, Ecuador

wxquevedo@inmersoft.com

and cognitive state [3]. The real-time study and visual-

ization of these brain waves has become more accessible

thanks to technological advancement, including devices

such as Emotiv EPOC [4], which captures non-invasive

brain signals. This article focuses on the integration of

Emotiv EPOC and Unity, a game-engine, for real-time

visualization of brain waves and exploring its possible

applications [5].

Below is a review of the literature that supports the

importance and relevance of this research. Real-time

visualization of brain signals is crucial for understand-

ing brain function, both under normal and pathological

conditions. It allows you to identify complex patterns

and correlations that would otherwise be diﬃcult to

perceive [6]. The visual interpretation of brain activ-

ity can help understand cognitive [7], emotional, and

decision-making processes. In clinical studies, real-time

brain wave visualization is used for monitoring and di-

agnosing brain disorders such as epilepsy, attention, and

hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) [8], and dementia. Ad-

ditionally, in BCI environments [9], real-time visualiza-

tion facilitates interaction between the brain and exter-

nal devices, allowing control of wheelchairs, prostheses,

and other devices [10]. The goal of this research is to

address the need to build a replicable system that al-

lows real-time visualization of brain waves using Emo-

tiv EPOC and Unity. The aim is to develop a techni-

cal solution that provides an intuitive, real-time graph-

ical representation of brain activity, paving the way for

future research and interactive applications. The inte-

gration of devices like Emotiv EPOC and development

environments like Unity represents a signiﬁcant oppor-

tunity to advance this area and develop innovative ap-

plications.

2 Problem

Real-time brain wave visualization is an essential tool

for understanding the functioning of the human brain

[10]. Traditionally, obtaining and analyzing brain sig-

nals were complex and expensive processes, reserved

26 International Journal of Engineering Insights, (2024) 2:1

primarily for laboratory environments. However, with

the advent of devices such as Emotiv EPOC, which oﬀer

more aﬀordable and non-invasive access to brain activ-

ity, it has become possible to explore new applications

and approaches [11].

Despite advances in technology accessibility, there is

still a lack of replicable systems that integrate electronic

devices like Emotiv EPOC with development environ-

ments like Unity for real-time visualization of brain

waves. The scientiﬁc community and developers face

the challenge of building eﬀective and standardized sys-

tems that allow this integration in an eﬀective and eas-

ily reproducible way.

The lack of a standardized solution limits progress

in research and practical applications. Creating a repli-

cable system, as proposed in this research, is crucial

to address this gap and facilitate future advances in

neuroscience, BCI, psychology, and other related disci-

plines. This research is justiﬁed by the need to advance

in the ﬁeld of visualization of brain signals in real time

and its practical application. The integration of Emo-

tiv EPOC and Unity [12] oﬀers signiﬁcant potential to

explore new frontiers in areas such as cognitive therapy,

brain-computer interfaces, brain training and virtual re-

ality.

A replicable solution that allows brain waves to be

visualized in real time is an essential step towards more

interactive and impactful applications. The development

of this solution could lead to signiﬁcant advances in the

design of technologies that improve the quality of life

of people with disabilities, allowing communication and

interaction with the environment more eﬀectively. Ad-

ditionally, it could foster education and public under-

standing of the human brain and its processes.

3 Proposal

The proposed solution is presented in two block dia-

grams. The ﬁrst diagram explains the development pro-

cess from data acquisition to export and subsequent

reading. While the second diagram shows the opera-

tion of the solution expressed in programming modules

with a vision by functions (Fig. 1).

For the development, starting points have been taken

from two diﬀerent points: the origin of the data and the

processing of the information received to visualize them

numerically and as linear signals in 2D. From the data

source we have the Emotiv Epoc device module, which

starts with the connection and installation of the manu-

facturer’s own drivers and launchers, to move on to the

calibration part since a test user is required to obtain

signals. It is necessary to place the sensors in contact

Fig. 1 Diagram of develop path.

with the scalp and add enough output solution to the

sensors. In the Signal transmission block, the connec-

tion and data transmission are veriﬁed in real time from

the manufacturer’s own hub called Emotiv Launcher.

On the other hand, from the game-engine environment,

we start from the development of 2D Shapes that will

represent the lines with the values of each signal that

reaches the environment. This is achieved given that

there is a coordinate system with amplitude on the Y

axis and time units on the X axis. The location of the

values in this Cartesian plane is the function of the

block for transforming values into 2D lines. Next, the

Data Buﬀer block is responsible for managing the data

that arrives in real time, placing it in temporary mem-

ory, keeping it available for representation or storage.

Precisely the save to ﬁle block performs the task of

storing the displayed data, not the received data, since

in the user interface you can modify the time scale val-

ues or add marks, in this way the data that the user

previously conﬁgured, the saving formats are in .CSV

and .JSON which may be used by third parties or dis-

played again diﬀerently in a new version of the solu-

tion. The last block is developed to be able to view

the ﬁles generated by the solution to re-view the infor-

mation as a function of time once the data capture is

completed, with the aim of sharing and viewing data

between teams.

To visualize the solution in full operation, it has

been captured in a diagram of modules that generally

exemplify the process of visualizing brain signals in real

time. In operation you can see 3 important sections, the

main one is the module that runs in the Unity game-

engine, the second is the real-time brain signal acqui-

sition hardware Emotiv EPOC and the third module

refers to the generated products for the solution: i) In

27 International Journal of Engineering Insights, (2024) 2:1

the hardware section you can view the Emotiv EPOC

device as it sends brain signals via Bluetooth to the

PC, the block that receives, manages, and allows ac-

cess to said signals is the manufacturer’s own (Emo-

tiv Launcher) [13], the Unity module is connected to

this block. ii) This macro module is made up of two

sections, 2d environment and the scripts section. The

scripts section exempliﬁes all the programming carried

out, which consists of a Subscription module, which

connects to the Emotiv Launcher and manages the data

it will obtain, the sending of authentication credentials

(since it is a proprietary system, it is necessary to meet

the requirements from the manufacturer to access the

data) and allows you to read the sections of interest for

the application. In this case, the subscribed sections

are ECG (encephalogram data), Motion (data on the

user’s head movement), Facial Expressions (data pro-

cessed by the launcher that directly allow us to know if

the user smiles or grimaces), Mental Commands (they

are pre-processed signals training the user to move ob-

jects (pull, push, left, right for example) [14]. These

signals go directly to the records module which stores

the displayed data in volatile memory and then writes

the displayed data to ﬁles on the hard drive. It should

be noted that a marker module has been added, which

the user can place as a reference to a stimulus made to

the user. tests as a timestamp that identiﬁes this event.

The data from the subscription module is also con-

sumed by the serialization values module since it must

be transformed into valid formats for later display. The

next module through which the serialized data travel is

the GameObject UI, which manages the user interface,

that is, it allows you to decide the data that will be

displayed, change parameters such as the scale in am-

plitude and function of time, the option has also been

placed to numerically visualize the signal together with

its 2D visual representation. iii) ﬁnally, there is the

generated product management module which includes

the export and import of ﬁles in .*CSV and Json for-

mat, for later viewing in the application or processing

in third-party tools. A database module has also been

added so that it can be made available in real time and

consumed without the need for ﬁle transfers. See Fig.

4 Test

This section describes the methodology used to test the

real-time brainwave visualization solution using Emotiv

EPOC and Unity. The initial conditions of the experi-

ment, the procedures to follow and how the replicability

of the results is guaranteed will be detailed. The test-

ing objective of this solution is the visualization of user

waves in real time without mental, logic or stress test-

ing approach. Only the visualization of its waves will be

carried out within the 2D environment and the manip-

ulation of visualization parameters. To continue with

the procedure, it is necessary to recalibrate the device

with the new test user since everyone is a unique case.

1. Calibration is carried out using the tool provided

by the manufacturer (see Fig. 3), Emotiv launcher.

2. It is necessary to place the sensors in the ap-

proximate position of the graph until reaching 100%

connection (see Fig. 4). It may be necessary to increase

the saline levels in each transducer to achieve the green

color in all sensors.

3. Now it is necessary to ask the patient to calm

down and breathe deeply with his eyes closed, all to

achieve 100% signal capture in the ECG (see Fig. 5).

4. Next, run the solution in the Unity environment

(see Fig. 6). It is recommended not to create an exe-

cutable since in the testing stage it may be necessary

to make hot adjustments for the correct visualization

of the signals.

5. Select the information modules that you want to

display in the 2D plane, in this case it will be the ECG

and Motion (see Fig. 7).

6. ECG signals can be displayed in 2D line format in

time domain, in addition to Motion data in numerical

format (see Fig. 8).

7. Press the record button to start capturing the

data displayed in the 2D environment.

Finally, the products resulting from the experiment

can be viewed for subsequent review and analysis. In

the case of replicability, it is detailed that each test

is unique, and that the analysis of results focuses on

obtaining the ﬁnal products.

5 Results and Analysis

In this section, the results obtained from real-time brain

wave visualization tests using Emotiv EPOC and Unity

are presented. The products generated by the solution

are described and their implications for future research

and applications are analyzed. The successful imple-

mentation of the solution has generated the following

products:

1. Signal Structure: A complete and structured col-

lection of all brain signals recorded during testing. In-

cludes preprocessed data and relevant metadata in JSON

format (see Fig. 9).

2. Excel File for Processing: An Excel ﬁle that con-

tains the brain signals ready to process and analyze,

contains the values with their respective timestamp, as

well as a column in which you can detail the markers

made by the investigator (see Fig. 10).

28 International Journal of Engineering Insights, (2024) 2:1

Fig. 2 Main function diagram.

Fig. 3 Conﬁgure EMOTIV screen.

Fig. 4 Dashboard of the 16 sensor status.

Fig. 5 Check of the ECG Quality status.

Fig. 6 Unity screen with the proposal.

In addition, you can view one in real time when

a ﬁle generated by this application is opened. With a

time-dependent slider that allows you to recreate the

captured signals for greater ease of visualization by the

researcher. This animation allows an intuitive under-

29 International Journal of Engineering Insights, (2024) 2:1

Fig. 7 UI for control the data from EMOTIV.

Fig. 8 Graph of signals from EEG in Real-Time.

Fig. 9 Data structure in JSON.

standing of the variations in brain activity during the

capture of brain signals.

6 Conclusions

Possible directions for future research and applications

based on this solution are proposed. The integration

of Emotiv EPOC and Unity was successfully achieved

for real-time visualization of brain waves, providing a

graphical and interactive representation of brain activ-

ity. The generated products, including signal database,

ready-to-process Excel ﬁle and interactive animation,

are useful resources for future research and applications.

The solution has signiﬁcant implications in ﬁelds such

as brain-computer interface, cognitive therapy and neu-

roscience research, showing its potential to transform

the way we interact with technology and understand-

ing of the human brain.

Conﬂict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conﬂict of inter-

est.

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