New York and Palo Alto, California-based MemoryMD have recently received FDA clearance for a disposable 19-channel EEG headset, called the NeuroCap.

Along with the NeuroEEG, a wireless amplifier worn around the arm that transmits to computers and cloud-based databases via Bluetooth that was approved in February, the company is now preparing to launch its full offering as a convenient approach to EEG testing for clinicians treating patients at the point of care. 

“We’ve established an all-in-one EEG solution, both with the NeuroEEG, which is a miniature, portable, wireless 16-channel EEG amplifier, and now with the addition of Neurocap, which is pre-gelled with 19 active channels,” Abdus-Salaam Muwwakkil, chief quality officer at MemoryMD, told MobiHealthNews. “EEG solutions in the market today are, I wouldn’t say obsolete, but there’s a much better way of deploying EEG. With the NeuroCap, the intended focus of that product was to present it to acute areas in the hospital such as emergency departments or ICUs, and provide EEG access for first-line nurses or medical assistants as well as doctors.”

Because traditional EEGs require a specialized tech to administer and a trained neurologist to interpret, Muwwakkil said that acute patients in need of the screen are often left waiting. Worse, he continued, some simply might not receive the inconvenient test and have their neurological diseases and symptoms undiagnosed. Having an easy-to-use alternative on hand could potentially limit the frequency of these missed cases.

“We believe with our Neurocap … we’re going to really see some benefits to clinical management, and hopefully we can reduce costs such as penalties if readmissions are occurring,” he said. “One of the important uses of EEG in general, based on clinical research, is looking at noncompulsive status epilepticus, which is essentially subclinical seizures that are happening in ICUs and emergency departments. We’re really kind of honing in on the clinical investigation as well as how to improve coordination of the patient, from presenting symptoms to either being diagnosed or moved to the appropriate point of care where they can be properly diagnosed.”

Along with its portability, the NeuroCap’s disposable nature means that teams don’t have to worry about infection control or long-term durability. Replacement caps are priced to remain “affordable,” Muwwakkil said, and the combined products are designed to allow a patient to remain mobile while wearing the cap. Although the company is currently working with universities’ athletic departments to help monitor and research concussions and traumatic brain injury, Muwwakkil noted that the company is looking forward to a more widespread deployment now that both components have received approval.

We have a great product, great training and support, and we have the right channels that we’ve already identified. We’re working with a few strategically placed distributors, and we’re looking forward to getting out in the market,” he said.