Stretchable, hair-compatible, and long-term stable wearable EEG system

Abstract

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a cornerstone in both neuroscience research and clinical diagnostics. However, conventional EEG monitoring faces hardware limitations, particularly its adaptability and stability. Headsets either require complicated wiring or do not have enough stretchability and wearability to comply with the diverse head anthropometry and hair conditions of the user population. Additionally, there is an inherent tradeoff between wet and dry electrodes in capturing high-fidelity signals from hair-covered scalp regions while ensuring continuous and long-term recording quality. Here, we present a Mesh-integrated, Stretchable, and Hair-compatible EEG system engineered to overcome these limitations. By incorporating a kirigami-inspired mesh design and stretchable eutectic Gallium-Indium interconnects, MindStretcH adapts to various head sizes and allows for easy wearing and removal. Moreover, its uniquely designed porous, conical, soft 3D-printed mold, embedded with hydrogel electrodes, effectively penetrates hair layers to deliver low impedance and sustained signal integrity with minimal discomfort. We validate MindStretcH through offline and online EEG-based brain-computer interface tasks over a month, demonstrating its exceptional stability in continuous monitoring and dynamic applications. These results mark a promising advance toward non-invasive neural interfaces in both clinical and everyday use.