Public Funding for Polymer Bionics Limited

Timely diagnosis of seizure and other brain abnormalities is critical to patients receiving fast and effective treatment. This is especially true for babies admitted to neonatal intensive care (\>100,000/year in the UK) as they commonly suffer from seizures, and incorrect treatment or delayed diagnosis can result in lifelong disability or death. EEG enables monitoring and diagnosis, but is not used as often and effectively as it could be in hospitals. This is because the placement of the 19 sensors (called electrodes) requires trained technical staff to prepare the skin and accurately locate each electrode on the scalp. In infants this is especially challenging as conventional electrodes are large and rigid and EEG caps which help locate the sensors don't readily fit their smaller, variously shaped heads. This results in a compromised protocol where fewer electrodes are used and accuracy of diagnosis is reduced. As such, babies can be treated without confirmed conditions, risking side effects such as breathing difficulties, heart rate changes and impacts on brain development. BabEEG is a headcap that will be designed for easy placement of EEG electrodes by untrained staff and can conform to all shapes and sizes of heads. This novel cap will be designed with pediatricians for comfortable and continuous monitoring of brain activity. It will incorporate more electrodes than conventional child EEG resulting in faster and more accurate diagnosis of brain conditions and other disorders. With clinical uptake BabEEG will enable fast confirmation of neurological health, including the potential to confirm sight and hearing in all newborn babies, reducing in-patient and staff time within post-labour wards. The project involves the development of electrodes that can penetrate hair while still being soft and flexible enough for sensitive baby skin. These electrodes will be integrated into an expandable cap designed to accurately space electrodes around the scalp without the need for skin preparation such as cleaning, hair removal or addition of gels. The device will be assessed for both safety and improved functionality when compared to current EEG technologies. It will be tested in the clinic to ensure it is comfortable and functional in-use with children. BabEEG will enable widespread use of EEG within hospitals, both in newborn intensive care and ultimately more widely for children and adults. BabEEG will address a critical hurdle that has hampered clinical use of EEG while reducing technician time within hospitals that results in delays to diagnosis and treatment.