EEG hardware ranges from research amplifiers with 64 or more gel electrodes to low-cost open hardware and consumer headsets with a handful of dry sensors. The acquisition software that comes with them records well and usually stops there. The analysis, decoding and evaluation happen somewhere else.
BCILattice is that somewhere else. It does not certify specific headsets. It reads the files they produce, and it reads the sampling rate and channels from the file, so an 8-channel 250 Hz recording and a 64-channel 1000 Hz recording are both handled as what they are.
Getting your recording in
Export options depend on your device's software version. Check what yours writes. See EEG file formats for what each format contains. For developers, BrainFlow (one API for OpenBCI, Muse, Neurosity and other boards) and pyXDF (for LSL .xdf recordings) are on the free extension shelf.
| Your setup | Typical export | Path into BCILattice |
|---|---|---|
| OpenBCI (via OpenBCI GUI) | BDF or text/CSV | File import |
| Brain Products | BrainVision .vhdr/.vmrk/.eeg | File import |
| BioSemi | .bdf | File import |
| Neuroscan | .cnt | File import |
| Consumer headsets | CSV or EDF from the vendor or a companion app | File import, with label columns confirmed |
| Anything that streams LSL | Lab Streaming Layer | Live streaming (beta, not yet validated against physical hardware) |
Getting the most from a low-channel headset
Choose a paradigm that fits
Few frontal dry sensors suit spectral and attention measures. Motor imagery needs electrodes over C3 and C4.
Check signal quality first
Channel Quality flags flat, railing and noisy channels before they corrupt everything downstream.
Be sceptical of artifacts
On frontal sensors, blinks and jaw tension can dominate. Make sure the classifier is not reading them.
Evaluate across sessions
Dry electrodes shift between sessions. Test on a session the model never saw.
For hardware makers
Device makers can work with us on an integration: file import, a jointly built LSL bridge, or a native SDK integration for devices with proprietary protocols. The hardware partner programme describes the paths and how validation works.
Questions
What software can analyse OpenBCI data?
OpenBCI recordings exported from the OpenBCI GUI as BDF or text/CSV can be analysed in BCILattice, MNE-Python, EEGLAB and other tools that read those formats.
Does BCILattice support my EEG headset?
If your headset's software exports EDF, BDF, GDF, FIF, BrainVision VHDR, EEGLAB SET, Neuroscan CNT, or a CSV/TXT/XLSX table, BCILattice can import it. Native device integrations are built with hardware partners.
Can BCILattice record live from my headset?
Live streaming via Lab Streaming Layer is available in beta and has not yet been validated against physical acquisition hardware. For production recording, use your device's own software and import the file.
Are consumer EEG headsets good enough for BCI research?
For some questions. Low-channel dry headsets can capture strong spectral effects and some evoked responses, but have less spatial coverage and more artifacts than research systems. Pick a paradigm that matches the sensor positions.
Read the reference
Related
EEG File Formats: EDF, BDF, GDF, FIF, VHDR, SET, SNIRF
EDF, BDF, VHDR, SET, FIF: EEG has many formats because each amplifier vendor and toolbox defined its own. Here is what each one is and what reads it.
Real-Time BCI: From Offline Decoder to Online Use
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EEG Artifact Removal: Eye Blinks, Muscle and ICA
Blinks, muscle tension and line noise are often larger than the brain signal you want. Removing them is a sequence of decisions, and each one should be visible and reversible.
BCI for Beginners: How to Get Started with EEG and BCI
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