IMEC develops 8-channel wireless EEG system for ambulatory monitoring
Leuven, Belgium - October 5, 2009 - IMEC and its research affiliate Holst Centre have unveiled a miniaturized and wireless 8-channel EEG system. The system is suited for remote monitoring of patients in their daily environment, resulting in more natural readings and greatly increasing the patient's comfort.
The EEG system can be connected to individual electrodes, standard EEG monitoring hats or proprietary EEG headsets. The system records high quality EEG signals when connected to gel electrodes. Early tests with dry electrode are promising, although more research is required to achieve reliable measurement in non-controlled environments. The data is wirelessly transmitted in real-time to a receiver located up to 10m from the system. IMEC has also developed algorithms to interpret the brain signals, linking the brain activity to the degree of relaxation.
Applications that can be envisaged with this EEG system are, for example, comfortable ambulatory monitoring of epileptic patients, e-learning and gaming.
At the heart of the system is IMEC's 8-channel ultra low-power analog readout ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). The electronics, including ASIC, radio, and controller chips are integrated on a printed-circuit board that measures only 47mm by 27mm. The whole system is packaged in a small box with status LEDs, a switch button and interfaces for din32 cables. The packaged system consumes only 1.8mA, allowing over 3 days of autonomy with a 160 mAh Li-ion battery.
Today, IMEC and the art centre STUK in Leuven present Staalhemel (Steel sky), a work of art by Christoph De Boeck (°1972, Belgium). Staalhemel is composed of 80 steel segments suspended over the visitors' heads. Visitors wear a headset with IMEC's EEG system, monitoring their brain signals. As they walk through the space, tiny hammers tap rhythmic patterns on the steel plates, activated by their brainwaves. This responsive environment confronts visitors with an acoustic representation of their electrical brain activity (www.staalhemel.com).
Within the Human++ program, IMEC and Holst Centre develop solutions for an efficient and better healthcare. Intelligent body area networks with wireless sensors, such as this EEG, promise to be a solution for more comfortable healthcare systems. This will allow ambulatory monitoring of people, which increases the comfort level of patients and is a cost- and time-efficient alternative for current EEG monitoring systems. And, home monitoring results in daily life measurements that cannot be measured in a clinical environment. Industry can get access to this technology by joining the Human++ program as research partner or by licensing agreements for further product development.
About IMEC
IMEC performs world-leading research in nanotechnology. IMEC leverages its scientific knowledge with the innovative power of its industrial partners. In ICT, healthcare and energy, IMEC delivers industry-relevant technology solutions. In a unique high-tech environment, IMEC's international top talent is committed to providing the building blocks for a better life in a sustainable society.
IMEC is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, Taiwan, US, China and Japan. Its staff of more than 1,650 people include over 550 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2008, IMEC's revenue (P&L) was 270 million euro.
Further information on IMEC can be found at www.imec.be.
IMEC is a registered trademark for the activities of IMEC International (a legal entity set up under Belgian law as a 'stichting van openbaar nut'), IMEC in Belgium (IMEC vzw supported by the Flemish Government), stichting IMEC Nederland (IMEC-NL) and IMEC Taiwan Co. (IMEC-TW).
About Holst Centre
Holst Centre is an independent open-innovation R&D centre that develops generic technologies for Wireless Autonomous Transducer Solutions and for Systems-in-Foil. A key feature of Holst Centre is its partnership model with industry and academia around shared roadmaps and programs. It is this kind of cross-fertilization that enables Holst Centre to tune its scientific strategy to industrial needs.
Holst Centre was set up in 2005 by IMEC (Flanders, Belgium) and TNO (The Netherlands) with support from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Government of Flanders. It is named after Gilles Holst, a Dutch pioneer in Research and Development and first director of Philips Research.
Located on High Tech Campus Eindhoven, Holst Centre benefits from the state-of-the-art on-site facilities. Holst Centre has over 145 employees from 25 nationalities and a commitment from close to 20 industrial partners.
Visit us at www.holstcentre.com
Contact:
IMEC : Katrien Marent, Director of External Communications, T: +32 16 28 18 80, Mobile : +32 474 30 28 66, katrien.marent@imec.be
Holst Centre: Koen Snoeckx, Communication Manager, T: +31 40 277 40 91, Mobile: +31 612 719843, koen.snoeckx@holstcentre.com
The EEG system can be connected to individual electrodes, standard EEG monitoring hats or proprietary EEG headsets. The system records high quality EEG signals when connected to gel electrodes. Early tests with dry electrode are promising, although more research is required to achieve reliable measurement in non-controlled environments. The data is wirelessly transmitted in real-time to a receiver located up to 10m from the system. IMEC has also developed algorithms to interpret the brain signals, linking the brain activity to the degree of relaxation.
Applications that can be envisaged with this EEG system are, for example, comfortable ambulatory monitoring of epileptic patients, e-learning and gaming.
At the heart of the system is IMEC's 8-channel ultra low-power analog readout ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). The electronics, including ASIC, radio, and controller chips are integrated on a printed-circuit board that measures only 47mm by 27mm. The whole system is packaged in a small box with status LEDs, a switch button and interfaces for din32 cables. The packaged system consumes only 1.8mA, allowing over 3 days of autonomy with a 160 mAh Li-ion battery.
Today, IMEC and the art centre STUK in Leuven present Staalhemel (Steel sky), a work of art by Christoph De Boeck (°1972, Belgium). Staalhemel is composed of 80 steel segments suspended over the visitors' heads. Visitors wear a headset with IMEC's EEG system, monitoring their brain signals. As they walk through the space, tiny hammers tap rhythmic patterns on the steel plates, activated by their brainwaves. This responsive environment confronts visitors with an acoustic representation of their electrical brain activity (www.staalhemel.com).
Within the Human++ program, IMEC and Holst Centre develop solutions for an efficient and better healthcare. Intelligent body area networks with wireless sensors, such as this EEG, promise to be a solution for more comfortable healthcare systems. This will allow ambulatory monitoring of people, which increases the comfort level of patients and is a cost- and time-efficient alternative for current EEG monitoring systems. And, home monitoring results in daily life measurements that cannot be measured in a clinical environment. Industry can get access to this technology by joining the Human++ program as research partner or by licensing agreements for further product development.
About IMEC
IMEC performs world-leading research in nanotechnology. IMEC leverages its scientific knowledge with the innovative power of its industrial partners. In ICT, healthcare and energy, IMEC delivers industry-relevant technology solutions. In a unique high-tech environment, IMEC's international top talent is committed to providing the building blocks for a better life in a sustainable society.
IMEC is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and has offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, Taiwan, US, China and Japan. Its staff of more than 1,650 people include over 550 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2008, IMEC's revenue (P&L) was 270 million euro.
Further information on IMEC can be found at www.imec.be.
IMEC is a registered trademark for the activities of IMEC International (a legal entity set up under Belgian law as a 'stichting van openbaar nut'), IMEC in Belgium (IMEC vzw supported by the Flemish Government), stichting IMEC Nederland (IMEC-NL) and IMEC Taiwan Co. (IMEC-TW).
About Holst Centre
Holst Centre is an independent open-innovation R&D centre that develops generic technologies for Wireless Autonomous Transducer Solutions and for Systems-in-Foil. A key feature of Holst Centre is its partnership model with industry and academia around shared roadmaps and programs. It is this kind of cross-fertilization that enables Holst Centre to tune its scientific strategy to industrial needs.
Holst Centre was set up in 2005 by IMEC (Flanders, Belgium) and TNO (The Netherlands) with support from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Government of Flanders. It is named after Gilles Holst, a Dutch pioneer in Research and Development and first director of Philips Research.
Located on High Tech Campus Eindhoven, Holst Centre benefits from the state-of-the-art on-site facilities. Holst Centre has over 145 employees from 25 nationalities and a commitment from close to 20 industrial partners.
Visit us at www.holstcentre.com
Contact:
IMEC : Katrien Marent, Director of External Communications, T: +32 16 28 18 80, Mobile : +32 474 30 28 66, katrien.marent@imec.be
Holst Centre: Koen Snoeckx, Communication Manager, T: +31 40 277 40 91, Mobile: +31 612 719843, koen.snoeckx@holstcentre.com
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