About Our Project
Development of a dual EEG-ultrasound helmet for tracking physiology of the brain
Currently, ultrasound technologies are significantly lacking in imaging and monitoring the cranium. A design approach to this problem is to combine cranial ultrasound with another physiologic monitoring device that provides greater resolution of cranial activity. The goal of our project is to develop a noninvasive ultrasound-based brain machine interface combining two modern technologies: ultrasound and electroencephalography (EEG). The union of these two technologies will allow the capture of functional brain information, particularly brain perfusion and electrical patterns, in real-time. Seeing how the blood flow changes in correlation with thought can provide more insight into areas of stimulation related to movement and emotion. The end goal is to apply the known relationships between areas of the brain to movement and thought towards real world instances, such as differently-abled patients with limited range of motion: to essentially turn thoughts into action.
Our project is a 5-year endeavor, where the first step is to create a proof of concept or physical model. The characteristics of this model will include a wide range of flexibility for the ultrasound arrays, while still maintaining proper alignment with the EEG sensors and adjustable sizes for different subjects’ heads. The device must also incorporate features that the patient needs to have a clear image of physiological functions. Consequently, it will be paired with an EEG to identify brain function. Our model should fulfill other patient desires, which include: clear depictions of the brain with descriptive pointers distinguishing active areas, safe and painless invention that sits comfortably on a subject’s head, maximum cost-effectiveness, and an easy to navigate interface.