Effects of Binaural Beats on EEG and Reaction Time While Driving

Speed and accuracy are important in the cognition, judgment, and action processes of drivers while driving. The better these processes are performed, the lesser are the chances of accidents occurring. The purpose of this study is to propose the use of binaural beats (BBs) to shorten the reaction time (RT) (cognition, judgment, and action) while driving. The hypotheses of this study are as follows. First, the higher the appearance of β-waves during concentration and awakening, the shorter is the RT. Second, β-waves can be increased using BBs. To test these hypotheses, physiological responses were observed during driving without BBs and driving with BBs. The electroencephalogram of six female drivers was measured using a graphic driving simulator, and frequency and spectrum analyses were conducted. The results showed that the β-power was more predominant and the RT score was higher when driving with BBs (6 and 18 Hz) than when driving without BBs. Therefore, the use of BBs can be effective in avoiding traffic accidents by reducing the RT (cognition, judgment, and response) while driving.