FineIndex Employee Presents Research at EMBC 2026 Conference in Canada

FineIndex Employee Earning International Recognition in Biomedical Engineering

FineIndex, a leading company in the development of healthcare and public systems, celebrates its employee, Riki Sakurai, for presenting a groundbreaking research paper at the prestigious EMBC 2026 international conference. This event is among the largest of its kind in the field of biomedical engineering, held in Toronto, Canada. Riki Sakurai, a first author of the paper entitled "End-to-End Machine Learning for Depressive State Classification via EEG and fNIRS," highlighted his academic achievements during this significant occasion.

Having trained under the Cognitive Behavioral Support Technology Team at RIKEN's Center for Advanced Intelligent Systems, Riki's work emphasized the importance of integrating advanced research environments and expert guidance for achieving such a significant feat. The participation and support of renowned mentors, including Team Director Mihoko Otake-Matsuura, greatly contributed to Riki's successful presentation and recognition at this international venue.

This research addresses the existing reliance on subjective evaluations in psychiatric diagnostics, which often leads to challenges like bias and uncertainty. The innovative framework Riki presented combines high temporal resolution Electroencephalography (EEG) with functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to objectively and quantitatively assess depressive states. It aims not only for early detection of latent depressive conditions but also for distinguishing depression from dementia in older adults.

During the study, both the EEG and fNIRS signals were measured concurrently while participants undertook tasks requiring emotional stimulus retention. Their responses were processed using a sophisticated end-to-end deep learning architecture to classify depressive tendencies based on the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) scale. The results indicated a superior classification accuracy when integrating both modalities compared to using a single signal. Notably, the task involving auditory emotional voice stimuli revealed an outstanding average classification accuracy exceeding 0.80, significantly surpassing the chance level of 0.50.

Riki expressed deep gratitude, reflecting on his journey from student research focused on EEG and fNIRS towards finding ways to objectively estimate depressive states. His aspiration is to leverage technology to support individuals suffering from invisible mental health issues. Riki views his involvement with FineIndex as an opportunity to extend beyond just mental health research, contributing to the healthcare sector at large through innovative IT solutions. He is determined to share his understanding of biosignals and multifaceted analytical perspectives to enhance product development at the company.

About EMBC 2026 Conference

The EMBC conference, organized by IEEE, is a significant event in the biomedical engineering domain, attracting participants from over 160 countries. The upcoming session in 2026 centered on the theme of "Engineering Sustainable and Equitable Healthcare," illustrating the urgency and importance of sustainable practices in medical technology.

FineIndex believes that the commitment to continuous improvement by its employees is essential for the technological innovation behind its products and services. The company remains dedicated to supporting an environment where research findings can contribute to the practical advancement of healthcare solutions. Through the integration of expert knowledge across diverse fields, FineIndex aims to enhance public and medical sectors through comprehensive healthcare solutions and technology-driven advancements.