Wearable neurotechnology

Neurotechnology plays an invaluable role in assessing and modulating brain states for research and therapeutic purposes. However, current non-invasive brain monitoring and stimulation devices usually have one or more of these drawbacks:

• They are relatively expensive.
• They need to be administered by experts.
• They deliver an output – such as long EEG traces – that’s hard to interpret.
• They focus on a single modality: either monitoring or stimulation.

Through improvements in neuroscience technology, imec is developing platforms for wearable brain monitoring and stimulation devices that are affordable, convenient and relevant for clinical applications.

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Taking neurotechnology beyond the lab

Thanks to our partnership with Datwyler, we can assist you in developing neurotechnology platforms that are equipped with state-of-the-art dry electrodes that combine:

• comfortable wear, even over a long period of time
• quick and easy set-up, also by non-specialized staff
• excellent signal properties, including a suitable impedance range

Other convenience factors that imec considers are:

• ergonomic and practical design – Our prototype EEG headsets can be worn during an activity and are adjustable to make room for extra wires.
• extremely low power consumption – We are able to develop brain monitoring devices that work continuously for several hours to days.
• wireless operation – Thanks to a Bluetooth connection, our monitoring systems can be connected to a pc or smartphone. 

All this means that – on top of our solutions for the clinical space – we can assist you in developing brain monitoring devices that people can wear during their daily activities.

Advancing wearable neuroscience technology

At imec, we realize that quality of data is a principal concern in neurotechnology. We offer a set of algorithms that perform:

• signal quality assessment
• artifact classification and handling
• robust feature extraction

On the system level (mechanical design and electronics), we are able to ensure excellent signal properties. Our in-house developed DAE (digital active electrode) technology – where each electrode is accompanied by an IC that immediately digitizes the signal – enables us to make a modular and expandable system while reducing noise levels even further. Additionally, DAE  is used in a multimodal brain monitoring platform that combines EEG and fNIRS – developed as part of the EU-funded ASTONISH project.

Through real-time data analysis, abnormal brain activity – such as an epileptic discharge – can be automatically signaled to a clinician. In this way, advanced neurotechnology helps to improve the level of care and frees up resources in healthcare. An excellent example: the EEG Headset for ER and ICU patients that we developed together with Nihon Kohden.

Building on these technologies, we have also developed a platform that enables you to explore non-invasive brain stimulation.

Join one of our R&D programs to get access to our technology platforms and tune them to your own product requirements. Or enter into a bilateral collaboration with imec and trust on our in-house expertise to guide you through the entire development of your wearable neurotechnology system.

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