OpenBCI Unveils Galea, A New Platform that Brings Next Generation Biometrics to Mixed Reality

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenBCI, a Brooklyn-based neurotechnology company today announced a new hardware and software platform called Galea, which combines mixed reality (XR) headsets with state-of-the-art biosensing and brain-computer interfacing (BCI) techniques. The headgear comes equipped with multiple sensors to simultaneously monitor biometric data streams in real time and is designed to seamlessly attach to head-mounted displays (HMD), including virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) devices. Galea also includes robust SDKs to bring biometric data into common development environments and enable researchers and developers across industries to produce next generation experiences through neurotechnology.

Galea includes several sensors, including electroencephalogram (EEG), electrooculography (EOG) electromyography (EMG), electrodermal activity (EDA), and photoplethysmography (PPG) to accurately quantify human emotions and facial expressions such as happiness, anxiety, depression, attention span, interest level, and more. The platform's real-time analytics suite measures data from the brain, eyes, heart, skin, and muscles, allowing researchers and developers to objectively measure user experiences and internal states and use it for creating highly immersive content tailored to a person's biological responses.

"I founded OpenBCI to democratize access to the brain and I'm thrilled that our technology has powered innovative projects by academics, startups, and some of the most recognizable companies in the world," said Conor Russomanno, CEO of OpenBCI. "I believe that head-mounted computers integrated with human consciousness will drive the next major technology paradigm shift. Galea is the realization of six years of research and development. We are providing the world with a playground for experimentation and development using multi-modal biometric data in tandem with next generation wearable displays."

Founded in 2014, OpenBCI offers the only consumer-grade biosensing system built with open-source software and hardware. The company's headsets, biosensing boards, and electrodes allow for high resolution imaging and recording of EMG, ECG, and EEG signals and is used by researchers, academic labs, artists, and developers in 89 countries for prototyping and exploring the future of neurotechnology.

Guillermo Bernal, MIT researcher, OpenBCI user and key engineer for Galea said, "OpenBCI's open-source approach embraces the idea of low floors and high ceilings by lowering the barrier to entry for people interested in neurophysiology and supporting state-of-the-art research through sophisticated tools used in professional research lab. Galea will enable the evaluation and customization of virtual experiences in a way that hasn't been possible before. This will be achieved by augmenting closed-loop interventions in multi-modal data streams related to the user's behavior and affective responses."

Starting next year, OpenBCI will provide early access to researchers and developers aiming to leverage BCI combined with mixed reality for commercial and research applications. To learn more about Galea and the early access program, visit galea.co.

About OpenBCI
OpenBCI has been creating open-source tools for biosensing and neuroscience since 2014. OpenBCI's mission is to lower the barrier to entry for human-computer interface technologies, while ensuring that these technologies are adopted into the consumer landscape in an ethical way that protects user agency and mental health. Based in Brooklyn, NY, the company's hardware and software products enable a global community of scientists, designers, artists, and engineers to further our understanding of the human body and mind. For more information about OpenBCI, visit https://openbci.com.

SOURCE OpenBCI