Cognitive correlates of EEG spectral power indicate human-swarm task performance

Abstract

In this paper, we examine whether the geometric complexity of a robotic group affects performance in a human-swarm target acquisition task, and if these changes are reflected in average neurophysiological and behavioral characteristics. This is one of the first studies to utilize both the distribution of EEG spectral power and external behaviors to paint a more complex interaction between cognitive processes, behaviors, and task performance. Our results show that increasing the geometric complexity of the robotic group reduced task performance by 48.5%. Furthermore, the decrease in performance is accompanied by an increase in neurological measures that indicate more internal processing and suppression of visual stimuli. Accompanying changes in gaze and control activity enforce these differences.