Abstract: The objective evaluation of a subject's interest in specific information, such as education and training materials, for example, is made possible by using patterns of physiological activity generated in the brain. Samples of individual brain activity are obtained to assess whether an individual is paying attention and showing interest in certain materials. Effectiveness in presenting such materials would be improved when direct brain recording activity shows increased interest in the presented material.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for identifying individuals based upon patterns of physiological activity generated in the brain and for distinguishing between normal and impaired brain states in any particular individual. These patterns may be obtained by directly or indirectly recording the electrical and/or magnetic activity associated with sensory, cognitive, and motor processing in the brain. This activity may be recorded using sensors placed in, on, or near the scalp. In this system, samples of individual brain activity are stored in an "intelligent" data base of a data acquisition/transformation stage which has the capability to learn to distinguish the individual characteristics of normal patterns of brain activity.