Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Abstract

The EEG is a very widely used technology for neuroimaging. It is unique amongst sensing methods in that it can monitor the brain portably, over a long period of time, and with a high time resolution for capturing rare and transient events. As a result it has seen substantial use in medical diagnoses and increasingly in out-of-the lab brain monitoring. In recent years this has been driven by the creation of wearable EEG devices which are small, discrete and socially acceptable, and work is ongoing to create even more miniaturized devices which can record EEG signals from the ear, ear canal and forehead. Combined with advances in temporary tattoo structures for conformal electronics, there are now demonstrations of EEG recordings lasting up to 2 weeks at a time, a timeframe unthinkable a few years ago. Nevertheless, much work remains to demonstrate the ease of use, to quantify the sensing performance/noise of new electrode structures and to optimize such new approaches to EEG instrumentation. There are many emerging consumer neuroscience applications which will benefit from these technology developments. Drowsiness detection emotion tracking and workload monitoring are just the start, and there is significant scope present for much innovation in the coming years.