Apple Patent Application Hints at AirPods Sensors That Allow Measurement of Brain Electrical Activity

AirPods — Apple's genuinely wireless stereo (TWS) earphones — could double arsenic a wellness monitoring instrumentality successful nan future, according to a patent exertion precocious published by nan US Patent Office (USPTO). The Cupertino institution appears to person invented an AirPods sensor system that would let nan earphones to show electrical impulses from nan wearer's brain. The patent describes a strategy that tin show encephalon activity that is typically monitored pinch nan usage of electrodes connected a patient's caput but nan usage of AirPods could supply a much discreet measurement to show encephalon activity.

A patent precocious published connected nan USPTO website describes a wearable physics instrumentality for illustration Apple's AirPods that is equipped pinch electrodes, akin to accepted devices utilized to show biosignals specified arsenic encephalon activity, including electroencephalography, electrooculography, galvanic tegument response, humor measurement pulse, and electromyography. This could let an AirPods wearer to show their encephalon activity moreover erstwhile they are travelling, without nan request for a machine.

Unlike nan accepted EEG monitors that are attached to a user's scalp, nan AirPods are apt to move erstwhile they are inserted successful a user's ear. In bid to relationship for nan truth that receptor style and size tin vary, nan patent describes a strategy that integrates progressive and reference electrodes connected nan outer assemblage of nan AirPods' body, on pinch respective further electrodes located astatine different positions connected nan eartip.

Apple's patent absurd states nan "wearable physics instrumentality includes a sensor circuit and a switching circuit. The switching circuit is operable to electrically link a number of different subsets of 1 aliases much electrodes successful nan group of electrodes to nan sensor circuit." While nan explanation mightiness sound a small convoluted, nan institution has included a sketch (figure 2) of nan purported instrumentality that shows nan position of nan electrodes connected nan wireless earphones.

Diagrams from Apple's patent exertion show really nan exertion would work
Photo Credit: Apple (via USPTO)

These AirPods' eartips will beryllium replaceable, according to Apple's patent application, which besides described a system (figure 5) that allows a personification to pat a conception of nan earphone's assemblage to commencement measurement of biosignals.

Meanwhile, different sketch (figure 10) shows nan location of some nan electrodes connected nan eartip and nan touch delicate area from a different angle, while suggesting that nan functionality could besides beryllium supported connected wired earphones specified arsenic EarPods aliases a brace of glasses — nan reference and progressive electrodes would beryllium placed connected nan first and 2nd stem of nan glasses, according to nan document. 

It is presently unclear whether Apple plans to bring nan expertise to measurement biosignals to its celebrated AirPods and different wearable devices, while a caller study suggests that nan institution is exploring ways to adhd caller wellness features specified arsenic somesthesia monitoring to its earphones. Apple is besides moving connected ways to heighten its existing wellness monitoring products and is reportedly moving connected adding non-invasive humor sweetener monitoring to nan Apple Watch, which is expected to make its measurement to a early type of nan wearable device.

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