Securing Brain-to-Brain Communication Channels Using Adversarial Training on SSVEP EEG

In this study, we investigate the effects of Adversarial Neural Network Training (ANNT) on the robustness and effectiveness of Brain-to-Brain Communication (B2B-C) systems using Steady-State Visually Evoked Potentials (SSVEP) EEG data. We utilized a combined Convolutional Neural Network-Temporal Convolutional Network (CNN-TCN) architecture to classify the data and assessed the system’s resistance to various adversarial strategies, including Fast Gradient Sign Method (FGSM), Projected Gradient Descent (PGD), Basic Iterative Method (BIM), Carlini & Wagner (C&W), and Momentum Iterative Method (MIM). By analyzing publicly accessible datasets, specifically Lee2019_SSVEP and Nakanishi2015, we observed significant enhancements in both accuracy and AUC metrics when ANNT was applied. Specifically, the Lee2019_SSVEP dataset exhibited a 24% increase in accuracy and a 0.23-point improvement in AUC, while the Nakanishi2015 dataset demonstrated improvements of 9% and 0.07 points, respectively. Our results indicate that PGD posed the greatest challenge to the model, significantly reducing accuracy and AUC across various scenarios, whereas FGSM was the least impactful. These findings highlight ANNT’s potential in fortifying the security and stability of B2B-C systems against diverse adversarial conditions.