Eye Movement Automated Analysis: A New Improved Approach

An improved system for eye movement automated analysis is presented. The program (NOUS: Nystragmus Off-line Understanding System) specially designed for electronystagmographic recording interpretation in clinical use, relies - as the key element - on the "fast phase" recognition obtained through some tests performed on the instant eye angular velocity, sampled at 100 Hz rate. However, a major improvement was introduced, consisting in the modelling of a "finite state automaton" through which each sample is processed before its definitive interpretation. The Authors discuss about a) the characteristics of this automaton dictated by the physiological pattern of vestibulooculomotor neuronal organization and eyeball mechanical properties and b) the kinds of artifacts that are correctly identified and rejected.