ZDNET Highlights
- The NextSense earbuds monitor brain activity using EEG.
- The Sleep Earbuds claim to use EEG for restorative sleep.
- They cost $399 and are available for preorder.
Brain-tracking technology is coming to your next pair of earbuds. Companies have figured out how to put EEG technology into consumer devices like earbuds and headphones — and this capability could fundamentally change the features available in your next purchase.
Take the NextSense smartbuds, for example. The EEG earbuds not only have soundscapes and audios that lull you to sleep, but also claim to deliver more restful sleep through their brainwave-sensing technology.
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To take an EEG (or electroencephalogram) in a medical setting, 20 electrodes are placed around the individuals’ scalp. These electrodes are stuck to the scalp with sticky gel and with the assistance of a medical professional the electrical activity of the brain is measured. After the EEG-monitoring session is over, people often use multiple shampoos to remove the gel from their hair.
Now, NextSense is bringing that brainwave-sensing technology to its new earbuds; No sticky gels or harsh shampoos required.
“While some people will elect to routinely go to the doctor’s office for a traditional EEG, which involves a lot of electrodes, some conductive gel, and clumsy machinery, they may not hesitate to pop in a familiar earbud,” Jonathan Berendt, CEO and Founder of NextSense Wrote in 2024 blog post.
When Barents found out through his Apple Watch that he had atrial fibrillation, he wondered why we don’t have the same consumer technology and data-capture features for the brain.
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The NextSense smartbuds can take EEG, but instead of requiring 20 electrodes, the NextSense has three electrodes in each earbud. The flexible parts of the bud are made of conductive polymer to allow dry electrode recording in place of sticky gel. Of course, earbuds are designed for consumer applications and can’t perform the same type of monitoring that a medical-grade EEG in a doctor’s office can.
Better sleep, less time in bed
Like other sleep earbuds, the SmartBuds app includes audio tracks that people can listen to to sleep — or they can also connect to their music or audiobook app of choice.
Once the earbuds send the user to sleep and they reach deep sleep, NextSense uses slow wave growth to enhance sleep restoration. Slow wave enhancement uses pink noise at a certain frequency to induce brain waves to produce more slow waves. “You can get more of that restorative brain rhythm without spending more time in bed,” Caitlin Shure, head of product at NextSense, explained in an interview with ZDNET.
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Because the earbuds can also be worn for work or exercise, Shure said more daytime applications and features are coming soon. Shure suggested that, if people use earbuds during the day, the earbuds could collect brainwave data and provide insight into the focus of their day. Shure said battery life is about seven to 10 hours, depending on usage level.
The earbuds, which retail for $399, are available for preorder To be sent in February.
