IronBCI-8
A wireless brain-computer interface that fits in your hand.
IronBCI-8 is a low-cost, open-source, wearable BCI. It measures 8 channels of biosignals (EEG, EMG, ECG and EOG) with a Texas Instruments ADS1299, and an STM32 microcontroller streams them over Bluetooth Low Energy to a laptop, phone or browser. It runs from a small LiPo battery, so no Raspberry Pi, cables or power bank are needed.
IronBCI-8 is not a medical device. It is a tool for research, education and engineering. Never wear it while it is charging. Read Safety before the first recording.
At a glance
| Channels | 8 biosignal inputs, plus reference and bias |
| Converter | TI ADS1299, 24-bit, simultaneous sampling |
| Sample rate | 250 SPS |
| Signals | EEG, EMG, ECG, EOG |
| Wireless | Bluetooth Low Energy |
| Microcontroller | STM32 |
| Electrodes | Dry or wet Ag/AgCl, 2.54 mm header |
| Battery | LiPo, 200 mAh recommended, 2.0 mm JST connector, charged over Micro USB |
| Software | PiEEG Cloud (browser), Android app, PiEEG Server, Python SDK, JavaScript SDK |
How it works
Three stacked boards, one battery, no cables to the computer.
Electrodes 1–8 ─┐
Reference (ear) ┼─► ADC board ─► BLE board ─► Bluetooth LE
Bias (ear) ─────┘ (ADS1299) (STM32) │
▲ ├ cloud.pieeg.com
LiPo battery ─► Power board ├ Android app
├ PiEEG Server
└ Python / JS SDK- Measure: the ADS1299 on the ADC board digitises all 8 channels at the same moment, 250 times per second.
- Send: the STM32 on the BLE board streams each sample over Bluetooth Low Energy.
- Use: open it in the browser, on an Android phone, or in your own Python or JavaScript code.
IronBCI-8 or PiEEG-8?
| PiEEG-8 | IronBCI-8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Host | Raspberry Pi 4 / 5 | None: works on its own |
| Link | Wired (GPIO, SPI) | Wireless (BLE) |
| Channels | 8 | 8 |
| Power | 5 V power bank | Small LiPo battery |
| Mobile app | No | Yes (Android) |
| Best for | Desk setups, full register control | Wearable and mobile BCI, quick demos |
What you can measure
| Signal | What it shows | Typical first test |
|---|---|---|
| EEG | Brain rhythms: delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma | Close your eyes and watch alpha (8–13 Hz) rise |
| EMG | Muscle activity | Clench the jaw or a fist |
| ECG | Heart activity | Electrodes on the chest or wrists |
| EOG | Eye movement and blinks | Look left and right, blink |
See real recordings in Signals & Projects.
Get started
Videos
 (opens in a new tab) |  (opens in a new tab) |
| Device introduction (opens in a new tab) | Mobile SDK app test (opens in a new tab) |
 (opens in a new tab) | |
| How to program a BCI with IronBCI (opens in a new tab) |
Related
- PiEEG Cloud: stream IronBCI-8 in Chrome or Edge, no install
- PiEEG Server:
pip install pieeg-server[ironbci] - JavaScript SDK:
ironbci-8is the default board - GitHub: ironbci (opens in a new tab): Python SDK, Android app, datasets
- 3D-printable headset (opens in a new tab): a wearable frame for IronBCI
Citation
If you use IronBCI-8 in research, please cite:
I. Rakhmatulin. IronBCI: A Low-Cost, Open-Source BCI Platform with Mobile SDK for Rapid Neurotech Prototyping. Preprints 2025, 2025071198. DOI: 10.20944/preprints202507.1198.v1 (opens in a new tab)
Support
- Discord: discord.gg/5Ps24p47 (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub: github.com/pieeg-club (opens in a new tab)
- Email: pieeg@pieeg.com