"Brain-tracking technology is coming to your next pair of earbuds. Companies have figured out how to put EEG technology into consumer devices like earbuds and headphones -- and this capability could fundamentally change the features available in your next purchase. Take the NextSense Smartbuds, for example. The EEG earbuds not only have soundscapes and audio that send you to sleep, but also claim to deliver more restorative sleep through their brainwave-sensing technology. To take an EEG (or electroencephalogram) in a medical setting, individuals have 20 electrodes placed around their skull."
"After Berent learned through his Apple Watch that he had atrial fibrillation, he wondered why we didn't have the same consumer technology and data-capture features for the brain. Also: The most interesting health tech I saw at CES 2026 The NextSense Smartbuds can take an EEG, but instead of requiring 20 electrodes, each of NextSense's earbuds has three electrodes. The flexible parts of the bud are made of conductive polymer to perform dry electrode recording, in place of that sticky gel."
NextSense Smartbuds integrate EEG sensors into consumer earbuds, aiming to monitor brain activity and improve sleep with brainwave-sensing soundscapes. Traditional medical EEGs use about 20 gel-adhered electrodes and clinical supervision; the Smartbuds instead place three electrodes in each earbud and use conductive polymer for dry electrode recording. The earbuds claim to offer more restorative sleep by sensing brainwaves and adapting audio. Interest in consumer brain monitoring grew after a user discovered atrial fibrillation via an Apple Watch, exposing a gap in brain data capture. The Smartbuds are priced at $399 and available for preorder.
Read at ZDNET
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