Next-Generation EEG Hardware

Electroencephalography(EEG) is known to have persistent challenges, such as being sensitive to physiological noise and motion artifacts, and presents a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

​To overcome these limitations, a great deal of effort has been put into increasing the robustness of the EEG sensors, leading to the development of better gel and active electrodes, achieving better signal quality than what was possible with traditional passive electrodes.

However, active electrodes are significantly more expensive and application of the conductive gel requires lengthy preparation times and is often messy, leaving gel residue behind. Moreover, in lengthy sessions, re-application of the gel may be needed. This has led researchers to explore alternative electrode designs such as dry and self-adhesive electrodes. While dry electrodes might be the quickest and easiest to use, they can be uncomfortable when worn over long periods of time and can present a low SNR in comparison to gel and wet electrodes.

In addition, the growing emphasis on BCI applications in real-world conditions for both clinical and consumer use further emphasized the need for robust sensors that consistently deliver a strong signal quality, but are also comfortable, easy to use, and motion tolerant. Taking all these factors into account, the result is a rising demand for reliable, comfortable and high-quality portable EEG hardware. This change in the BCI landscape, in combination with improved technological tools, enabled the miniaturization of electrical components such as electrodes and amplifiers, as well as wireless communication.

In the near future, robust mobile EEG solutions will be critical for enabling next-generation BCI applications in everyday life. While first attempts have offered limited capabilities -primarily due to compromised signal quality and reliability- one can notice an emergence of mobile EEG hardware that offers both unobtrusiveness and comfort in a low-cost small form factor, while retaining good signal quality.

The cEEGrid is an early example of such mobile EEG hardware that features a flex-printed motion-tolerant design. Such kinds of flex-printed electrodes, paired with next-generation miniaturized portable amplifiers, allow for comfortable multi-hour-long use without sacrificing signal quality.

It is important to mention that the cEEGrid has been thoroughly validated in scientific studies that have demonstrated its performance to be comparable to traditional high-end EEG hardware.

Clever hardware designs like the cEEGrid bring us closer to bridging the gap between research and real-world BCI applications. EEG hardware advancements like these allow us to envision a future where robust neuroimaging is seamlessly integrated into everyday life and next-generation neuroadaptive applications are possible.