Design and Validation of a Modular Smart Headband with Embroidered Electrodes for Comfortable EEG Monitoring

TL;DR

This paper introduces a modular, comfortable, and cost-effective smart EEG headband with embroidered electrodes that simplifies setup and enhances usability for long-term monitoring, demonstrating performance comparable to traditional systems.

Contribution

The study presents a novel modular headband with embroidered electrodes that improves comfort, reduces wiring complexity, and maintains EEG recording quality, advancing wearable EEG technology.

Findings

Successfully recorded alpha peaks during eyes-open/closed task

Reliably captured P300 and N170 event-related potentials

Participants reported increased comfort and usability

Abstract

The wearable EEG device sector is advancing rapidly, enabling fast and reliable detection of brain activity for investigating brain function and pathology. However, many current EEG systems remain challenging for users with neurological conditions due to bulky wiring, lengthy skin preparation, gel-induced discomfort, risk of irritation, and high cost, all of which limit long-term monitoring. This study presents a proof-of-concept smart modular headband incorporating adjustable, replaceable embroidered electrodes for EEG acquisition. Compared with conventional devices, the smart headband reduces wiring complexity, removes the need for skin preparation, and minimizes irritation associated with gel-based electrodes. Its modular structure allows adjustable fitting without requiring multiple size options, enhancing comfort and adaptability for everyday EEG monitoring. The smart headband prototype was tested on 10 healthy university students using three behavioral tasks: (1) eyes open/closed, (2) auditory oddball, and (3) visual oddball paradigms. The smart headband successfully captured alpha peaks during the eyes-open/closed task (p = 0.01) and reliably recorded the event-related potentials associated with the oddball effects - the auditory P300 (p = 0.014) and the visual N170 (p = 0.013) - demonstrating an equivalent performance to a commercial sponge-based EEG cap. A user survey indicated improved comfort and usability, with participants reporting that the soft, structurally designed headband enhanced wearability relative to a conventional cap. Overall, this prototype provides a comfortable, modular, and cost-effective solution to reliable EEG monitoring in real-world applications.