Will the EEG be able to read your dreams? The future of brain activity measurement on its 100th anniversary

One hundred years after the first recording of the electrical activity of the human brain, experts acknowledge the legacy of this discovery and share their predictions and priorities for the future.

Since it was first recorded in July 1924, electroencephalography (EEG) in humans has been an integral part of our understanding of brain function and dysfunction. Most significantly, this has been in the clinical diagnosis of epilepsy, where analysis of the EEG signal led to a condition previously considered a personality disorder being quickly redefined as a disorder of brain activity.

Today, a century later, over 500 experts from around the world were asked to reflect on the impact of this groundbreaking methodology and the challenges and priorities for the future.

In a survey conducted by scientists at the University of Leeds, respondents – who have a combined 6,685 years of experience – were presented with possible future developments for EEG, ranging from “critical to progress” to “highly unlikely,” and asked to estimate how long it might take to achieve them. The results were published in The Journal of EEG. Nature Human Behavior.

Futuristic innovations

The list includes a number of fascinating, futuristic innovations that experts say could be realized within a generation. These include the use of EEGs to improve cognitive performance, early detection of learning disabilities, widespread use as a lie detector, and use as a primary means of communication for people with severe motor disabilities and locked-in syndrome.

It is believed that in just 10 to 14 years it will be possible to diagnose brain abnormalities such as seizures or tumors in real time and reliably. And some experts believe it will be more than 50 years before we can read the contents of dreams and long-term memories. However, many consider this to be more science fiction than reality.

It may come as a surprise to many that, according to the survey, within a generation we could all be carrying around our own portable EEG.

Study co-author Dominik Welke, a research fellow at the University of Leeds, said: “They could actually become something like a smartphone that almost everyone has access to and can use on a daily basis – and ideally improve people’s lives by giving them meaningful insights into physiological factors.”

He added: “One such positive potential future application of EEG technology could be alertness control for drivers or pilots. These occupational safety systems could help the user detect if they are falling asleep, then wake them up or tell the co-pilot to take over.”

The hardware used to record EEGs is relatively simple and has remained essentially unchanged since it was first used by psychiatrist Hans Berger in Germany on July 6, 1924. What has changed dramatically since then is how we analyze the now digitally recorded data and what we can do with it.

EEG systems consist of only electrodes and an amplifier and are becoming increasingly cheap to manufacture. They are also becoming more portable and easier to use. Since they are non-invasive, there is little reason why they will not become available to a wider audience.

Reducing health inequalities

While the prospect of EEG technology becoming widely used in games and virtual reality – estimates suggest this will not happen for another 20 years or so – will excite gamers, the really exciting opportunity for scientists and clinicians is that this increased accessibility will allow them to engage with communities that have traditionally been excluded from EEG research. Crucially, these communities live in low-income countries that cannot afford more sophisticated imaging technology.

Advances in AI-driven automation are also expected to improve and accelerate the analysis of complex data.

Dr Welke said: “Looking ahead, from the hardware side, it is comparatively cheap and easy to manufacture, and from the analysis and software side, with these new computer technologies, all the pieces of the puzzle are in place to really make EEG accessible to a very large user base. Unlike other methods that exist – like MRI or implanted devices – EEG has the potential to make neuroimaging available to everyone in the world.”

Lead author of the study, Faisal Mushtaq, Professor of Cognitive Science and Director of the Centre for Immersive Technologies at the University of Leeds, said: “Almost all the data we currently have on the human brain comes from a very small proportion of the world’s population. It is increasingly recognised that this hampers our ability to generalise findings and improve global brain health. EEG is the most cost-effective and logistically feasible neuroimaging tool for use worldwide in a wide range of settings. This would help build a neuroscience that is inclusive and representative of the world’s population.

He added: “Our partners at the Global Brain Consortium are laying the groundwork for a wider reach and I expect this will open up new opportunities for groundbreaking discoveries into the mechanisms of brain function.”

Ethical issues

While expressing optimism that new technologies will open up exciting new possibilities for EEG, the experts interviewed also offered words of caution. Their concerns ranged from the lack of adherence to agreed standards and protocols to ethical questions raised by novel commercial applications and the lure of “neuroenhancement.”

Dr Welke said: “I’m sure some of the multinational technology companies might be very keen to introduce EEG or other neuroimaging technologies just to get more information about their users, allowing them to infer their preferences and emotions 24/7. But should they be used in this way? There are obvious concerns about cognitive freedom and intellectual privacy. This brings us back to the importance of responsibility – the fact that new ways of using a technology are also likely to raise new ethical questions.”

Another goal of the survey was to identify priorities of the EEG community to guide future efforts. Participants rated how important key developments and advances in various areas of EEG research would be to their work.

Professor Mushtaq said: “I think that EEG, combined with technologies such as AI and virtual reality, could radically change the way we interact with machines and will therefore play a hugely important role in science and society over the next 100 years.”

“To ensure this, the neuroscience community – in academic, clinical and industrial settings – must commit to promoting robust, ethical, inclusive and sustainable practices that help realize its enormous potential.”

The work involved more than 90 authors, ranging from early-stage researchers to well-known figures in the field, collectively known as the EEG100 consortium.

It began as a partnership between #EEGManyLabs – an international network of researchers from over 30 countries evaluating the reproducibility of results from some of the most important and influential EEG experiments on psychological phenomena – and the Global Brain Consortium, a diverse network of brain researchers, clinicians and institutions committed to better and more equitable healthcare worldwide.

The study’s senior author, Pedro Antonio Valdés-Sosa, director of the China Cuba Laboratory for Neurotechnology at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China/Cuban Neuroscience Center, said: “In several countries, including Cuba, we have shown that EEGs can be used in the mass screening of some nervous system diseases at a population level. This technology is particularly useful when resources are limited, as is the case with disinterested groups around the world. There are still hurdles to overcome to deploy EEGs on a global scale, but hopefully by doing so we can improve the lives of millions more people.”

Dr Sadhana Sharma, Head of Life Sciences for Health Strategy at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), commented: “EEG technology has the potential to transform our daily activities and the way we diagnose and treat neurological conditions in the future, ensuring that brain health insights are accessible to diverse populations around the world. While we welcome developments in the life sciences, our focus remains on fostering interdisciplinary collaborations that drive ethical, equitable and impactful advances in brain research on a global scale.”