PiEEG is an open source Raspberry Pi shield that measures biosignals such as those used in electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and electrocardiography (ECG). PiEEG is versatile, easy to work with, and compatible with different types of electrodes. Best of all, it was designed to be usable by anyone. To begin measuring bio-signals, all you need to do is connect the electrodes and run a Python script. Applications include gaming, entertainment, sports, health, meditation, and more.
Thanks to open source software, PiEEG can be used to process bio-signals in real time. This device is intended to help you learn not only about neuroscience but also about signal processing, filters, and machine learning.
You can see examples we have created on our Github, and we will be providing more examples in the future. We have also included a guide for how to create your own hat for dry electrodes
Potential Applications
The signals from the PiEEG can be utilized in a variety of applications, such as scientific, educational, and entertainment purposes. The signals from the PiEEG can be utilized for smart-home control, gaming, robotics, virtual-keyboard input, or even DIY polygraph experiments! We have provided examples in our GitHub to get you started, and will continue to release new examples as time goes on.
Ongoing Development
We will continue to work on the project and provide users new examples of how to use the PiEEG in practice. Our GitHub provides scripts for data processing and for identifying traits, which means that this tool will be useful for those who are interested in data processing.
Features & Specifications
- Compatible with Raspberry Pi 3 or 4
- 4 or 8 channels for connecting wet or dry electrodes
- Data transfer via SPI protocol with a frequency from 250 SPS to 16 kSPS and a resolution of 24 bits per channel
- Programmable signal gain: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24
- Ability to measure impedance
- Common-Mode Rejection Ratio CMRR: 120
- Internal noise: 0.4 μV
- External noise: 0.8 μV
- Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR): 130 dB
- LEDs for power indication and ADS1299 connection indication
- 3 free pins for connecting external objects (ground and Raspberry Pi channel)
- 33 Pins from the Raspberry Pi GPIO can be used for various tasks, like connecting external devices
- Easy programming with the provided open source software for reading and processing data in Python, C, and C++
Comparisons
| PiEEG 8 (Shield) | Cyton Board (OpenBCI) | HackEEG’s (Shield) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal Processing Interface | Raspberry Pi | Computer | Arduino and computer |
| Analog-Digital Converter (ADC) | ADS1299 | ADS1299 | ADS1299 |
| Channels | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Transmitter Needed to Read EEG Data | no transmitter needed | Wi-Fi | USB |
| Can Stack with Other Shields? | Yes | No | Yes |
| Open Source | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Support & Documentation
You can find the PiEEG source code, design files, datasheet, and project examples in our GitHub repository. The PiEEG is being released under the GNU General Public License (GPL) v3.0, which ensures that you can customize the PiEEG as needed. You can also reach out to us using the Ask a technical question form on our campaign page or contact Crowd Supply if you have order-specific questions.
Manufacturing Plan
Our production run of PiEEG boards will be fabricated and assembled by PCBWay. Once assembly is complete, they will be sent to us where we will test them to ensure each board is fully functional.
Fulfillment & Logistics
After testing the first production batch of PiEEG boards, we will package them up and send them on to Crowd Supply’s fulfillment partner, Mouser Electronics, who will distribute them to backers worldwide. You can learn more about Crowd Supply’s fulfillment service under Ordering, Paying, and Shipping in their guide.
Risks & Challenges
The chip shortage for all electronics is still ongoing, but we have established contact with many suppliers. We have worked to make sure that the delivery dates are as accurate as possible based on the shipping timelines available to us, and we will let backers know if there are any unexpected changes in fulfillment.
