A Dry Electrode for Universal Accessibility to EEG

摘要 脑电图仪(EEG)从头皮表面测量大脑的局部场势。这 该方法对研究认知过程、神经状态和医学状况很有用。它的相对较低- 成本、易用性和非侵入性增加了它在研究和医学大脑监测中的效用 申请。不幸的是，获取脑电的过程往往不包括所有的研究对象。 EEG通常需要头皮磨损和使用导电凝胶来产生低阻抗接触 在裸露的皮肤和电极头之间。这种方法对于获得良好的信号和降低 人工制品；然而，它给黑人或非裔美国人的头发带来了挑战。研究表明， 非洲人的浓密卷发(4型)影响了脑电图帽放置电极进行测量的能力 大脑活动和头发对液体的低吸收率会影响用于 指挥信号。此外，非洲血统的人经常选择有各种辫子、本地人或 用人造毛发编织，这会阻碍电极的放置，通常被列为排外 研究标准，从而以更高的比率排除非洲裔人。此外，即使当他们 不要参加采集，不适合自己发型/发型的脑电技术可能会导致信噪比较低 与其他对象的比率相比，导致他们的数据被研究分析拒之门外，从而产生 这是研究包容性的无意的种族障碍。 量子应用科学与研究(QUASAR)公司开发了创新的干式活性钉扎电极 通过头发工作，不需要磨损或凝胶，并获得可与之媲美的高质量脑电信号 从黄金标准的湿电极。这一期SBIR项目旨在确定新的 干式或湿式电极头设计，解决了4型头发类型带来的挑战，通常 相关联的发型。新设计将在假人头上进行测试，并在人体上进行验证 参与者。该项目的总体成果将是新的脑电电极设计和系统，将 减少非洲裔人在医学研究和医疗保健应用中的脑电获取差距。

Abstract Electroencephalography (EEG) measures the brain’s local field potential from the surface of the scalp. This method is useful for studying cognitive processes, neurological states, and medical conditions. Its relative low- cost, ease-of use, and non-invasiveness increase its utility in brain monitoring for both research and medical applications. Unfortunately, the process of acquiring EEG is often not inclusive of all research subjects. EEG typically requires scalp abrasion and application of conductive gels to create a low impedance contact between exposed skin and the electrode tips. This approach is critical to obtaining good signals and reducing artifacts; however, it creates challenges for the hair of Black or African American people. Studies have shown that tightly curled hair (Type 4) of African origin impacts the ability of EEG caps to place electrodes to measure brain activity and the hair’s low absorption of liquid can impact the conductance of the saline solutions used to conduct signal. In addition, people of African origin often select hairstyles with various braiding, locs, or weaving with synthetic hair, which can impede electrode placement and are commonly listed as exclusion criteria for research, thereby excluding people of African origin at higher rates. Furthermore, even when they do participate in collection, EEG technology unsuited to their hair type/style may lead to lower signal-to-noise ratios than on other subjects, resulting in their data being rejected from the study’s analysis, thereby creating an unintentional racial barrier to study inclusion. Quantum Applied Science & Research (QUASAR), Inc. has developed innovative dry active pinned electrodes that work through hair without the need for abrasion or gels and acquire high-quality EEG signals comparable to those from gold-standard wet electrodes. This Phase I SBIR project aims to establish the feasibility of new dry or wet electrode tip designs that address the challenges posed by Type 4 hair types and commonly associated hairstyles. New designs will be tested on phantom mannequin heads and validated on human participants. The overall outcome of this project will be novel EEG electrode designs and systems that will reduce EEG access disparity for people of African origin in medical research and healthcare applications.