Safety
Read this before putting electrodes on anyone.
⚠️
PiEEG-16 is not a medical device and has not been certified by any regulator for use with the human body. It is an engineering development and evaluation board for research and education. You use it at your own risk.
Rules
- Battery only. The Raspberry Pi, the PiEEG-16 and everything cabled to them must run from a 5 V battery (power bank) while electrodes are on a person.
- No mains connection of any kind. No wall charger, no desk power supply, no USB or HDMI cable to a mains-powered computer, monitor or TV.
- No diagnosis. Don't use PiEEG-16 to diagnose, monitor or treat any medical condition.
- Implanted devices. Don't use it on a person with a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device without a physician's approval.
- Skin. Use clean, intact skin. Stop if the skin becomes irritated, and clean off gel after each session.
- Exposed electronics. The board has no case. Handle it by the edges, use anti-static precautions and keep liquids away.
Power while recording
| Setup | While electrodes are on | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pi + shield on a 5 V power bank | ✅ Safe | No path to the mains. |
| Monitor powered by the power bank or the Pi | ✅ Safe | Still fully on battery. |
| Laptop on battery, connected over Wi-Fi to the dashboard | ✅ Safe | No cable to the Pi or the person. |
| Pi on a wall charger | ❌ Never | Connects the person to the mains through the electrodes. |
| Monitor plugged into a wall socket | ❌ Never | The HDMI cable links the mains to the Pi. |
| USB or Ethernet cable to a mains-powered computer | ❌ Never | Same reason. Unplug it before electrodes go on. |
🚫
PiEEG-16 has no patient isolation circuitry. Full galvanic isolation from the mains depends entirely on running from a battery.
Good practice
- Charge the power bank before the session, never during it.
- Check every cable before each session. An adult or supervisor checks the setup when students use it.
- Clean electrodes with water after use and let them dry. Don't soak them in disinfectant or hot water.
See also the general PiEEG safety and liabilities pages.