IronBCI
An 8-channel brain-computer interface you wear. No Raspberry Pi, no cables to a computer.
IronBCI reads EEG, EMG, ECG and EOG through an ADS1299, runs on a small LiPo battery, and streams 250 samples per second over Bluetooth to a laptop, an Android phone or straight into a browser tab.
- Channels
- 8, plus REF and BIAS
- Signals
- EEG, EMG, ECG, EOG
- Converter
- ADS1299, 24-bit
- Wireless
- Bluetooth LE, 250 SPS
- Battery
- LiPo 200 mAh, JST 2.0
- Host
- None needed
Where to use it
Because it’s wireless and battery powered, IronBCI goes where a desk setup can’t: on the arm, the chest, around the eyes, into a phone. Pick a use case and try the live demo.
Simulated signal to show the effect. Real recordings are noisier.
How to set it up
Battery, switches, electrodes, Bluetooth. Eight steps from the box to a live signal, with the two checks that protect the board built in.
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1
Gather the kit
IronBCI is standalone, so the list is short. What you strap it to depends on the signal you want.
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2
Check the battery polarity, then connect it
The battery socket is on the underside of the board. Some JST plugs are wired the other way round, and a reversed battery will damage the board.
Before the first connection, check that the red wire lands on the +3.7 V pad and the black wire on GND. Try both plugs below.
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3
Set the two switches
Switch 1 connects the battery. Switch 2 starts the data flow. With both on, the board starts advertising over Bluetooth and is ready to pair.
Normal use Switch 1 on, switch 2 on Charging Switch 1 on, switch 2 off Switch 1BatterySwitch 2Data flow -
4
Charge over Micro USB
Plug a 5 V Micro USB cable into the charging port on the power board. LED 1 means charging, LED 2 means the battery is full.
Never record while charging. Take the electrodes off, set switch 2 off, then plug in.
LED 1ChargingLED 2Fully charged42% -
5
Connect the electrodes
Plug the eight channel electrodes into the header, clip the reference to one earlobe and the bias to the other. For EEG they go on a cap at 10-20 positions; for EMG, ECG and EOG see the placements in Where to use it.
This is a common 8-channel layout. Follow the pin labels on the board and the connection diagram in the IronBCI repository. Keep the cables short.
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6
Pair over Bluetooth
With both switches on, IronBCI advertises itself. Pair from whichever tool you like. When the link is up, the blue BLE LED turns on and 8 channels start streaming at 250 samples per second.
Only one host can hold the Bluetooth connection at a time. Disconnect the browser before connecting PiEEG Server, and the other way round.
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7
Check the signal
The battery keeps IronBCI isolated from the mains, which removes most hum. The rest comes down to contact and movement.
Direct browser connections filter the stream for you: Hampel spike removal and a 1 to 40 Hz band-pass are on by default, with a notch filter you can switch on. PiEEG Server applies the same chain.
# same filters through the server pieeg-server --device ironbci8 --filter
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8
Record and stream
Record from the browser or the server, or pull the live stream into your own code.
LSL, VRChat OSC and webhooks run in PiEEG Server, so use the server path for those. The browser path covers viewing, detectors and CSV recording.
Before you put it on anyone
- IronBCI is not a medical device and isn’t certified by any regulator. It’s for education, research and engineering, never for diagnosis or treatment.
- Check battery polarity before the first connection. A reversed JST plug damages the board.
- Don’t wear or record while charging. Remove the electrodes before plugging in the Micro USB cable.
- Treat the LiPo with care: don’t puncture, crush or short it, and stop using a cell that has swollen.
- Don’t use it with a pacemaker or other implanted device without asking a physician. Stop if the skin becomes irritated.