Investigation the effects of overlap and event duration on neural response
for Martin Geiger
Martin Geiger’s thesis explores how controlling for duration effects impacts neural responses — challenging a previously well-known brain reaction. The accompanying Thesis Art piece represents the experimental paradigm using bold, minimalist letters, directly reflecting the stimuli used in the study.
The Creation Process
The artwork is based on the experimental setup, where the letters A, B, C, D, and E were used as stimuli. Initially, the idea was to draw the letters using EEG data, but this approach proved impractical due to excessive noise. Instead, Benedikt opted for the Hershey font, sourced from an R package, to create clean and precise representations of the stimuli.
Artistic Concept
The bold lettering captures the essence of the experiment’s design, emphasizing simplicity and clarity. By focusing on the stimuli, the artwork invites viewers to think about the experimental framework and the neural responses it aimed to evoke.
“I tried many different concepts before settling on the Hershey font — it was a journey of trial and error that finally clicked.”
Benedikt Ehinger
Personal Reflection
Working with such a structured experimental paradigm underscores the complexity of analyzing neural responses. This project reveals how even seemingly straightforward setups can lead to unexpected findings, such as the failure to replicate initial results. Interestingly, the bold letters not only represent the stimuli but also simplify the visual explanation of the experiment—an aspect that Benedikt found both challenging and rewarding to design.
Martin Geiger joined Benedikt’s research group in 2025, marking the start of an exciting collaboration!
