Workload and Emotion

This project involves measuring workload and emotion while participants view music videos. Uses the DEAP dataset as stimuli and machine learning on cognitive data to develop classification models for new brain states.

  • Researchers: Danushka Bandara, Leanne Hirshfield, Mark Costa, Sarah Bratt, Mingyu Zhong
  • Funders: Newhouse Endowment

Virality

My project measures brain states of individuals on Facebook who consider sharing trending digital media events. In a modification of Matthew Lieberman of UCLA’s experiment, this fNIRS project measures “buzz” in the brain when participants share or do not share viral or trending media.

  • Researchers: Sarah Bratt, Leanne Hirshfield, Jeff Hemsley
  • Funder: Newhouse Endowment

Meditation

The meditation project involves using fNIRS to detect differences in brain state of individuals meditating. A collaboration with Hamilton State College faculty and students, the meditation experiment is aimed at assessing the effects of meditative states on the brain. Longitudinal studies with vulnerable populations such as trauma victims, veterans, and other local individuals is part of future work. 

  • Researchers: Leanne Hirshfield, Danushka Bandara, Mark Costa, Stuart Hirshfield, Sarah Bratt
  • Funder: Newhouse Endowment