T
The researcher Manuel Reis Carneiro, from the Robotics and Systems Institute (ISR) of the Universidade de Coimbra’s Sciences and Technology School (FCTUC), has developed an electronic textile wearable device, low-cost and reusable that enables to perform electroencephalograms in a way that is much more comfortable, and for much longer periods of time than the current technology allows.
Thus, in the future, carrying out an electroencephalogram (EEG) will be far simpler and convenient for the patient. This innovative device based on flexible electronics incorporates a textile band where ultrathin non-rigid electrodes, made from with a specific dye that enables the interface between the electronic device and brain activity, are inserted, a technology developed at ISR’s “Soft and Printed Microelectronic” (SPM-UC) Laboratory in the scope of another research project – Stretchtronics.
Nowadays, EEGs are carried out with rigid metal electrodes placed on the scalp, which become uncomfortable after a period of time. Besides, current systems take up a lot of space, have a lot of wires, take a long time to prepare and require a specialized technician, limiting the patient monitoring to laboratories or hospitals.
The wearable electronic device developed by the researcher of ISR overcomes these limitations. It can be installed on the patient easily and quickly by anybody and, due to its textile nature and the flexibility of the electrodes, allows for much longer examinations, since it never becomes uncomfortable, while guaranteeing the same quality as the current systems.