Hazard differentiation embedded in the brain: A near-infrared spectroscopy-based study

Comprehending the neurophysiological mechanics of hazard recognition (HR) is crucial in image analysis and automated hazard inspection. Although previous studies have used brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to reveal brain activity patterns during HR, few have considered construction hazards. In this study, we identified salient prefrontal cortex (PFC) areas that that signify different recognized hazards. We performed an experiment consisting of multiple HR tasks in a laboratory setting and recorded the hemodynamic responses with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The Fisher score and linear discriminant analysis were used to classify hazardous situations. The results showed that the left PFC was more engaged in HR: specifically, the dorsolateral PFC for electricity and impact-related HR and the ventrolateral PFC for stabbing-related HR. Theoretically, the identified critical areas for hazard differentiation can be regarded as a neuropsychological basis for cognition. Practically, these results demonstrate the potential of NIRS-based BCIs for hazard inspections.

Automated summary

This study identified distinct neural activity patterns in the prefrontal cortex for different hazard recognitions, with the left PFC being more engaged in hazard recognition. The results suggest that these critical areas could serve as a neuropsychological basis for cognition and demonstrate the potential of NIRS-based BCIs for hazard inspections.