Sensors built into the earbuds can understand the owner's health by analyzing brain waves and sweat

Earlier this year, we heard about special earbuds that read the brain's electrical activity - EEG. Now, scientists have developed additional sensors that allow regular earbuds to do the same, and also analyze sweat. The sensors, developed by a team at UC San Diego, are screen-printed onto a thin, flexible polyurethane substrate. This stamp-like substrate is in turn adhered to the outside of commercially available earplugs.

When the device is inserted into the ear, integrated electrophysiological sensors come into contact with the skin of the ear canal, detecting electrical activity in the adjacent temporal lobe of the brain.

At the same time, the electrochemical electrode can also measure the lactate content in sweat that accumulates in the external auditory canal of the external ear. These electrodes are covered with a layer of hydrophilic hydrogel, which means they absorb water.

All sensors are not only flexible, but also elastic and cushioned. These properties help them fit comfortably to the unique contours of each patient's ear and maintain contact with the skin while the patient performs a variety of physical activities.

As the patient performs these activities, the sensor transmits readings to the earbuds, which wirelessly transmit the data to a smartphone or laptop for processing. By combining brain activity and lactate data, doctors could diagnose different types of epileptic seizures, monitor effort during exercise or monitor stress levels... among other possible applications for the technology.