The Ant (holder for 7 g.SAHARA EEG electrodes)

An EEG electrodes holder for a basic 7-electrode EEG setup using g.SAHARA electrodes.

This is my entry in the Ars Electronica 2017 Br41n.IO hackathon, awarded the second place.

A result of ~6 hours of design, it is still quite rough around the edges, but a good starting point for further refinement. I have attached the STEP file if you want to play with it. The decorative legs are aligned with the electrode placement lines, so it is easy to add additional electrodes.

A big Thank You to the entire hackathon team, it was a lovely experience to be a part of! :)

Print Settings

Printer:

Any PLA-capable printer

Rafts:

Supports:

Yes

Resolution:

Infill:

15%

Notes:

Clean up the printed parts and connect the hinges using M4 screws and nuts. Add a drop of superglue onto the tightened nuts to prevent them from unscrewing. Place rubber bands on the pointy rubber band holders so the parts are pushed inwards toward the head.

How I Designed This

In Fusion 360 I made an ellipsoid as a stand in for the more complex head shape—in the area of the electrodes it is a good-enough approximation considering the adaptive design with rubber bands. I then designed a simple holder for the g.SAHARA electrode, cloned it and placed it on the appropriate places on the head. I then built the ant body parts around these, creating the general look I was going for. In the end, I added hinges to hold everything together. The process is easiest to explain if you look at the video.