A Novel Automatic Audiometric System Design Based on Machine Learning Methods Using the Brain’s Electrical Activity Signals

Abstract

This study uses machine learning to perform the hearing test (audiometry) processes autonomously with EEG signals. Sounds with different amplitudes and wavelengths given to the person tested in standard hearing tests are assigned randomly with the interface designed with MATLAB GUI. The person stated that he heard the random size sounds he listened to with headphones but did not take action if he did not hear them. Simultaneously, EEG (electro-encephalography) signals were followed, and the waves created in the brain by the sounds that the person attended and did not hear were recorded. EEG data generated at the end of the test were pre-processed, and then feature extraction was performed. The heard and unheard information received from the MATLAB interface was combined with the EEG signals, and it was determined which sounds the person heard and which they did not hear. During the waiting period between the sounds given via the interface, no sound was given to the person. Therefore, these times are marked as not heard in EEG signals. In this study, brain signals were measured with Brain Products Vamp 16 EEG device, and then EEG raw data were created using the Brain Vision Recorder program and MATLAB. After the data set was created from the signal data produced by the heard and unheard sounds in the brain, machine learning processes were carried out with the PYTHON programming language. The raw data created with MATLAB was taken with the Python programming language, and after the pre-processing steps were completed, machine learning methods were applied to the classification algorithms. Each raw EEG data has been detected by the Count Vectorizer method. The importance of each EEG signal in all EEG data has been calculated using the TF-IDF (Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency) method. The obtained dataset has been classified according to whether people can hear the sound. Naïve Bayes, Light Gradient Strengthening Machine (LGBM), support vector machine (SVM), decision tree, k-NN, logistic regression, and random forest classifier algorithms have been applied in the analysis. The algorithms selected in our study were preferred because they showed superior performance in ML and succeeded in analyzing EEG signals. Selected classification algorithms also have features of being used online. Naïve Bayes, Light Gradient Strengthening Machine (LGBM), support vector machine (SVM), decision tree, k-NN, logistic regression, and random forest classifier algorithms were used. In the analysis of EEG signals, Light Gradient Strengthening Machine (LGBM) was obtained as the best method. It was determined that the most successful algorithm in prediction was the prediction of the LGBM classification algorithm, with a success rate of 84%. This study has revealed that hearing tests can also be performed using brain waves detected by an EEG device. Although a completely independent hearing test can be created, an audiologist or doctor may be needed to evaluate the results.