New Zealand-based neuroscience company Exsurgo’s Axon headset for chronic pain treatment uses a U-Blox Anna-B112 Bluetooth 5 system-in-package (SIP) for wireless communications.

The headset is part of a 116-person clinical trial to prove safety and efficacy. Exsurgo plans to take the device into high-volume production in the second half of 2022 to serve markets in the USA, UK and European Union.

For alleviating chronic pain, it relies on neurofeedback, an approach that involves measuring a user’s brain activity and providing them with state-specific feedback.

The headset uses electroencephalography (EEG) to measure electrical activity from multiple sites on the patient’s scalp. It then uses Bluetooth to stream these data wirelessly to a mobile device, where a visual representation of the patient’s EEG activity is displayed in near real time. Through a neurofeedback application on the mobile device, patients can then engage with neuro-exercises that will train them to change the state of their brain in a way that reduces their perception to chronic pain.

As with any medical device, the design process of the headset was difficult. For increased efficacy, the neurofeedback needed to be as close to real time as possible, requiring low latency between the EEG signal and the visual feedback. Usability and comfort were also critical. The headset needed to be slim, light and compact. Low power consumption would further help reduce efforts for device maintenance and recharging.

By working with the Anna-B112 Bluetooth 5 SIP, measuring 6.5 by 6.5 by 1.2mm, Exsurgo was able to reduce the overall size of the electronics and design a product patients would feel comfortable using. And leveraging Bluetooth 5’s payload capacity, it achieved data rates high enough to transmit data sampled from multiple EEG electrodes while meeting the latency requirement.

“The Axon headset beautifully demonstrates how IoT technology can take a previously costly solution and make it accessible to a much broader audience,” said Pelle Svensson, senior product marketing manager at Swiss firm U-Blox. “A massive burden on healthcare systems and the economy, chronic pain affects up to one in five people around the world. We are excited to be part of a solution that promises to have life changing effects on millions of people.”

Faisal Almesfer, chief technology officer at Exsurgo, added: “U-Blox added value throughout the development process of the Axon headset, not only as a hardware supplier, but also as a design partner. The small size of the ultra-low-power Anna-B112, its powerful microprocessor, along with detailed reference schematics for seamless integration into our electronics project were instrumental in designing a quality medical device.”

With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, U-Blox has offices in Europe, Asia and the USA.

Exsurgo is a neuroscience company developing technologies to provide a wide range of neurological treatments, services and devices, underpinned by an AI-enabled, cloud-based data analytics platform. Its immediate focus is on a range of services involving EEG, a long-established, non-invasive, drug-free therapy for a wide range of neurological conditions including chronic pain.