Method and system for measuring and ranking a positive or negative response to audiovisual or interactive media, products or activities using physiological signals
View Patent ↗A system and method for calculating a valence value captures an individual's positive or negative response to a media by considering alpha asymmetry of the individual's brain. This valence value can be used to compare media based on an individual or a group of individuals. Events of the media can be contrasted and compared by the valence value as well. Statistical measurements may be taken to improve media.
1. A method comprising:
obtaining data representative of a first signal, the first signal gathered from a right side of a brain of an individual while the individual is substantially concurrently exposed to media, the first signal comprising a right alpha wave (α R ) and a right theta wave (θ R );
obtaining data representative of a second signal, the second signal gathered from a left side of the brain of the individual substantially concurrently as the first signal is gathered, the second signal comprising a left alpha wave (α L ) and a left theta wave (θ L );
using a processor to calculate a valence value using a formula comprising at least one of:
(θ L /α L )−(θ R /α R ),
([θ L −α L ]/[θ L +α L ])/([θ R −α R ]/[θ R +α R ]),
(θ R /α R )−(θ L /α L ), or
([θ R −α R ]/ [θ R +α R ])/([θ L −α L ]/[θ L +α L ])
comparing the valence value with a reference value to determine a difference; and
rating the media based on the difference.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising aggregating multiple valence values from multiple individuals exposed to the media to form a valence response to the media.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising decomposing the first signal and the second signal into a frequency domain using a fast Fourier transform or a wavelet analysis.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising calculating a derivative of the valence value representative of a change in valence over time.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the media comprises one or more of a television broadcast, a video game, an audiovisual advertisement, a board game, a card game, a live action event, a print advertisement or a web advertisement.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
identifying a point in time corresponding to the valence value;
identifying an event of the media occurring substantially concurrently as the point in time;
correlating the valence value with the event; and
aligning the valence value to the media.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference value comprises an average value of a plurality of previously calculated valence values of other individuals.
8. A system comprising:
a data collector to:
obtain data representative of a first signal, the first signal gathered from a right side of a brain of an individual while the individual is substantially concurrently exposed to media, the first signal comprising a right alpha wave (α R ) and a right theta wave (θ R ); and
obtain data representative of a second signal, the second signal gathered from a left side of a brain of the individual is substantially concurrently as the first signal is gathered, the second signal comprising a left alpha wave (α L ) and a left theta wave (θ L ); and
a processor to:
calculate a valence value using a formula comprising at least one of:
(θ L /α L )−(θ R /α R ),
([θ L −α L ]/[θ L +α L ])/([θ R −α R ]/[θ R +α R ]),
(θ R /α R )−(θ L /α L ), or
([θ R −α R ]/[θ R +α R ])/([θ L −α L ]/[θ L +α L ])
compare the valence value with a reference value to determine a difference; and
rate the media based on the difference.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is to aggregate multiple valence values from multiple individuals exposed to the media to form a valence response to the media.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is to decompose the first signal and the second signal into a frequency domain using a fast Fourier transform or a wavelet analysis.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is to calculate a derivative of the valence value representative of a change in valence over time.
12. The system of claim 8 wherein the media comprises one or more of a television broadcast, a video game, an audiovisual advertisement, a board game, a card game, a live action event, a print advertisement or a web advertisement.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is to:
identify a point in time corresponding to the valence value;
identify an event of the media occurring substantially concurrently as the point in time;
correlate the valence value with the event; and
align the valence value to the media.
14. The system of claim 8 wherein the reference value comprises an average value of a plurality of previously calculated valence values of other individuals.
15. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed, cause a machine to at least:
calculate a valence value based on a first signal and a second signal, the first signal gathered from a right side of a brain of an individual while the individual is substantially concurrently exposed to media, the first signal comprising a right alpha wave (α R ) and a right theta wave (θ R ), the second signal gathered from a left side of the brain of the individual substantially concurrently as the first signal is gathered, the second signal comprising a left alpha wave (α L ) and a left theta wave (θ L ), and wherein the Valence value is calculated using a formula comprising at least one of:
(θ L /α L )−(θ R /α R ),
([θ L −α L ]/[θ L +α L ])/([θ R −α R ]/[θ R +α R ]),
(θ R /α R )−(θ L /α L ), or
([θ R −α R ]/[θ R +α R ])/([θ L −α L ]/[θ L +α L ])
compare the valence value with a reference value to determine a difference; and
rate the media based on the difference.