University of Houston electrical engineer Rose T. Faghih has been awarded $175,000 by the National Science Foundation to examine whether wrist-worn wearable devices, like Fit Bits or Apple Watches, can be used to peer into the brain. She thinks they can.
“Decoding brain states using wrist-worn wearables will transform how mental-stress-related diseases are diagnosed and treated,” said Faghih. Currently to track brain function, patients undergo electroencephalogram (EEG) testing, in which electrodes are attached to the scalp or a cap to measure brain activity. The convenience of measuring the brain on a smart watch improves the monitoring protocol immeasurably, said Faghih.
“Instead of getting information directly from the brain we can use skin conductance data collected by a smart watch,” she said.