Exploring the Distinguishable Characteristics of EEG Signals of Visually impaired Persons (VIPs): Cognitive Load Perspective

This work aims to assess the cognitive load of visually impaired persons (VIPs) versus non-VIP individuals with the aid of an auditory n-back memory task using electroencephalography (EEG). Twenty-Five subjects, including twenty-one VIP and four non-VIP adults, participated in this experiment. The EEG recordings were analyzed using MATLAB software. VIPs exhibited significantly higher EEG coherence in the theta, alpha, and beta bands compared to sighted (non-VIP) people, while no differences were detected in the gamma frequency band. VIP subjects demonstrated notably distinct reactions when subjected to the same cognitive demands within the same setting, highlighting the importance of tactile learning tools for visually impaired individuals, demonstrating their reliance on creativity, memory recall, and motor control during interactions with tactile images. This study contributes to the development of a unique data set designed to meet individual needs, with a specific differentiation between VIPs and those with typical vision. This work provides actionable insights into optimizing task environments and decision-making processes for these key individuals.