PiEEG - 8 (Brain-Computer Interface)

PiEEG-8: Turn Your Raspberry Pi into an 8-Channel Brain-Computer Interface

Measure brain (EEG), muscle (EMG) and heart (ECG) signals with research-grade 24-bit precision, using the Raspberry Pi you already have. PiEEG-8 is an open-source shield that plugs straight onto the Raspberry Pi 40-pin header. Install one software package and you see live brain waves in your browser within minutes.

Note: the Raspberry Pi, electrodes, EEG cap and power bank are not included. See "What you also need" below.

Why PiEEG-8?

• Research-grade signal quality. Built on the Texas Instruments ADS1299, the same 24-bit analog front end used in professional EEG systems.
• Ready in minutes. One command installs PiEEG Server, with a live browser dashboard, recording and real-time streaming.
• Fully open source. Hardware documentation, Python SDK, example scripts and datasets on GitHub. No subscriptions, no locked software.
• Works with your tools. Stream to Python, JavaScript, BrainFlow, Lab Streaming Layer (LSL), VRChat (OSC) or any language over WebSocket.
• Flexible. Use dry or wet electrodes, record EEG, EMG or ECG, and change sample rate and gain to suit your experiment.
• Proven. Used by students, makers and researchers worldwide, and described in peer-reviewed publications.

What you can do with it

• See your alpha brain waves rise when you close your eyes
• Build brain-computer interface projects: control a robot, a game or a smart-home device
• Train machine-learning models on EEG data (example project included)
• Record muscle activity (EMG) for prosthetics and gesture projects
• Monitor heart activity (ECG) for learning and experiments
• Teach neuroscience, biomedical engineering and signal processing with real hardware

Features

• 8 biosignal channels, plus reference and bias electrode inputs
• TI ADS1299 analog front end, 24-bit resolution, all channels sampled simultaneously
• Sample rate from 250 SPS to 16 kSPS
• Programmable gain: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24
• Lead-off detection to check electrode contact
• Compatible with dry and wet (Ag/AgCl) electrodes via a standard 2.54 mm header
• Plugs directly onto the Raspberry Pi 40-pin GPIO header (SPI interface)
• LEDs for power and ADS1299 status
• Free GPIO pins for connecting your own sensors and devices
• Easy programming in Python, plus ready-to-use PiEEG Server software

Specifications

Package includes

• 1 x PiEEG-8 shield

What you also need

• Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 (or 3) with a microSD card and Raspberry Pi OS
• 5 V power bank, 3 A output, up to 10,000 mAh
• 8 EEG electrodes (dry or wet) with 2.54 mm connectors, plus 2 ear-clip electrodes for reference and bias
• EEG cap to hold the electrodes in place
• Battery-powered monitor, wired keyboard and mouse, or a battery-powered laptop to view the dashboard over Wi-Fi

Get started in 4 steps

1. Plug PiEEG-8 onto your Raspberry Pi and connect the electrodes.
2. Power the Raspberry Pi from a power bank.
3. Install PiEEG Server with one command.
4. Open the dashboard in your browser and watch your brain waves live.

Step-by-step guide: docs.pieeg.com/hardware/devices/pieeg-8

Documentation & Links

• PiEEG-8 Documentation: setup, wiring, software, specifications, troubleshooting
• PiEEG-8 on GitHub: Python SDK, example scripts, datasets
• PiEEG Server: real-time streaming, dashboard and recording
• Video: How to start with PiEEG
• pieeg.com · Community on Discord

Important safety notice

PiEEG-8 is not a medical device and is intended for research, education and engineering only. It must be powered from a 5 V battery (power bank) only. The Raspberry Pi and every device connected to it (monitor, keyboard) must be battery-powered while electrodes are on a person. Never connect it to mains power. Please read the liability notice and the safety guide before use.