(J-378) Updates to an In-Ear Monitoring System for Neurological Screening and Therapeutic Audio Experiences

Introduction:: The brain is one of the most complex organs in the body, with a range of functions and daily tasks. However, the average attention to brain health is subpar. Thousands of individuals in the United States alone are victims of undetected brain aneurysms and epilepsy. Common neurological conditions can be detected through monitoring the brain. EEGs are an efficient and reliable tool to detect common signs and symptoms of these neurological conditions. EEG capabilities range from sensing spikes and sharp waves on an electroencephalography to numbness and muscle spasms. Yet, the current accessibility to brain monitoring via noninvasive EEGs still face barriers for everyday integration. A low cost, diagnostic device, NIURA, eliminates the obstacles for everyday brain monitoring while catering to stress relief via music therapy. NIURA integrates conductive silicone electrode technology with an earpiece.


Materials and Methods:: To address these issues, a four-layer circuit has been developed alongside conductive silicone electrode technology embedded in an earbud to monitor neural oscillation waves. The EEG electrodes, embedded within the earbud tips, are positioned in the ear canal to contact the skin overlying the temporal bone of the skull. A low-power or high-power, low-noise printed circuit board (PCB) with an analogue front-end (AFE) measures brain electrical activity. The EEG data is interpreted using Artificial Intelligence and can be transmitted to other devices via wired or wireless technology. The circuit is composed of four systemized components: EEG acquisition, power management, audio driver, and a power LED. Using this mechanism, electrical difference captured through the circuit is then amplified and further digitized to display brain waves from the temporal, parietal, and frontal lobe. With fast fourier transform, frequencies were identified from sine waves that include phase, amplitude, and frequency. The differences in the characteristics mentioned allow for a pre-screening method of different neurological conditions such as epilepsy, encephalitis, and stroke.


Results, Conclusions, and Discussions:: The in-ear EEG technology demonstrates a system capable of exhibiting neurological activity and detecting brain wave abnormalities, such as cerebral infarction and hemorrhaging. Preliminary findings suggest that NIURA has the potential to enable early detection of a broader range of neurological abnormalities. Further development of this tool could significantly aid healthcare providers in the screening stage of patient care, thereby enhancing both preventative measures and therapeutic interventions. In addition to health monitoring, NIURA enhances user experience by offering personalized audio content based on emotion recognition derived from EEG data. NIURA, being HIPAA compliant, ensures user's privacy, further enhancing its appeal for everyday use. Its dual functionality as a diagnostic tool and a personalized audio device make it an exciting development in the realm of integrated health technology.


Acknowledgements (Optional): : We express our sincere gratitude to the National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps at the USF Site for their unwavering support and mentorship throughout the course of this research.

References (Optional): : [1] C. Athavipach, S. Pan-ngum and P. Israsena, "Development of Low-Cost in-the-Ear EEG Prototype," 2018 15th International Joint Conference on Computer Science and Software Engineering (JCSSE), 2018, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/JCSSE.2018.8457324.

[2] Looney, D., Kidmose, P., Park, C., Ungstrup, M., Rank, M., Rosenkranz, K., & Mandic, D. (2012). The in-the-ear recording concept: user-centered and wearable brain monitoring. IEEE pulse, 3(6), 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1109/MPUL.2012.2216717

[3] Athavipach, Chanavit, Setha Pan-ngum, and Pasin Israsena. 2019. "A Wearable In-Ear EEG Device for Emotion Monitoring" Sensors 19, no. 18: 4014. https://doi.org/10.3390/s19184014