Sleep-stage classification is essential for sleep research. Various automatic judgment programs including deep learning algorithms using artificial intelligence (AI) have been developed, but with limitations in data format compatibility, human interpretability, cost, and technical requirements. We developed a novel program called GI-SleepNet, generative adversarial network (GAN)-assisted image-based sleep staging for mice that is accurate, versatile, compact, and easy to use. In this program,

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... ectroencephalogram and electromyography data are first visualized as images and then classified into three stages (wake, NREM, and REM) by a supervised image learning algorithm. To increase the accuracy, we adopted GAN and artificially generated fake REM sleep data to equalize the number of stages. This resulted in improved accuracy, and as few as one mouse data yielded significant accuracy. Because of its image-based nature, it is easy to apply to data of different formats, of different species of animals, and even outside of sleep research. Image data can be easily understood by humans, thus especially confirmation by experts is easy when there are some anomalies of prediction. Because deep learning of images is one of the leading fields in AI, numerous algorithms are also available.