The availability of accurate and reliable dry sensors
for electroencephalography
(EEG) is vital to enable large-scale deployment of brain–machine
interfaces (BMIs). However, dry sensors invariably show poorer performance
compared to the gold standard Ag/AgCl wet sensors. The loss of performance
with dry sensors is even more evident when monitoring the signal from
hairy and curved areas of the scalp, requiring the use of bulky and
uncomfortable acicular sensors. This work demonstrates three-dimensional
micropatterned sensors based on a subnanometer-thick epitaxial graphene
for detecting the EEG signal from the challenging occipital region
of the scalp. The occipital region, corresponding to the visual cortex
of the brain, is key to the implementation of BMIs based on the common
steady-state visually evoked potential paradigm. The patterned epitaxial
graphene sensors show efficient on-skin contact with low impedance
and can achieve comparable signal-to-noise ratios against wet sensors.
Using these sensors, we have also demonstrated hands-free communication
with a quadruped robot through brain activity.
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