Novel flexible Dry multipin electrodes for EEG: Signal quality and interfacial impedance of Ti and TiN coatings

Conventional Silver/Silver-Chloride electrodes are inappropriate for routine high-density EEG and emerging new fields of application like brain computer interfaces. A novel multipin electrode design is proposed. It enables rapid and easy application while maintaining signal quality and patient comfort. The electrode design is described and impedance and EEG tests are performed with Titanium and Titanium Nitride coated electrodes. The results are compared to conventional reference electrodes in a multi-volunteer study. The calculated signal parameters prove the multipin electrode concept to reproducibly acquire EEG signal quality comparable to Ag/AgCl electrodes. The promising results encourage further investigation and can provide a technological base for future preparation-free multichannel EEG systems.