Virtual-reality brain measurements illuminate real-world health conditions

Editor's Note

Two researchers from South China University of Technology have developed an affordable electroencephalogram (EEG) measurement system that can be incorporated into virtual reality (VR) headsets. In the future, the researchers hope to use the device to explore people's brain activity while navigating specific virtual environments and to study brain regions of interest. 

As detailed in HardwareX, which published the findings February 2, combining VR experiences with brain activity as measured through EEG (recordings of electrical activity in the brain, typically collected using electrodes attached to the scalp) can provide insights into numerous health conditions, the researchers write. Examples range from sleep disorders and epilepsy to brain injuries and strokes.

However, EEG measurement devices tend to be expensive and bulky and cannot be easily integrated into VR headsets. To overcome this challenge, the researchers developed NeuroVista, a small, wireless, high-precision, low-power consumption four-channel EEG measurement system that can be used with a VR headset. The device uses KS1092, a biological potential measurement chip, along with a set of electrodes and a lithium battery.