A Northern Irish start-up has developed a headset that it says could spot early signs of dementia. BrainWaveBank says the headset, which users need to wear while playing games on a phone, could go on sale to the public in three years. It monitors electrical brain activity to spot patterns that could be early indicators of brain conditions. The company is backed by Innovate UK, the Government’s tech investment arm, and is currently testing its headset with around 90 people. Brainwave studies have been held back in the past, because they do not have enough data or because combing through the data is incredibly intensive. But the rise of cheaper sensors and machine-learning technology could mean establishing patterns that are reliable indicators of illness. BrainWaveBank is working with First Derivatives, an Aim-listed big data company whose Kx technology is typically used by banks and regulators to spot trading patterns.
BrainWaveBank has developed a headset that could help diagnose dementia. Users wear the headset for between 15 and 20 minutes a day, while playing games on a phone or tablet. The device then monitors electrical brainwave activity to spot any earlier indicators of abnormal brain conditions. The Belfast-based start-up is backed by Innovate UK, the government's innovation agency. The product is undergoing testing and could be on the market within three years' time.