Gentle EEG cap to spot seizures in newborns
Official title: Neonatal EEG MOnitor (NEMO) Phase IIb
Funded at Quasar, INC. · NIH-11166449 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A soft, easy-to-use EEG cap with dry sensors to help hospitals detect seizures in newborn babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Quasar, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 15, 2012 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $947,109 |
| NIH project number | 5R44MH135741-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11166449 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are newborns in the NICU, especially infants in the first weeks of life with suspected seizures or conditions that increase seizure risk.
✕Less likely to help
Older children, adults, or newborns who do not need EEG monitoring or who require invasive monitoring methods are unlikely to benefit from this device.
What this research studies
If my baby were in the NICU, this project would provide a soft cap with dry EEG sensors that can be quickly placed on fragile neonatal skin. The cap is designed so bedside nurses can use it without needing specialist EEG technicians, and it records brain activity to identify seizures. QUASAR and Children’s National have already tested the dry sensors in NICU settings during earlier phases and are refining the system for broader hospital use. The team aims to increase which hospitals can monitor newborns so more infants are screened and treated sooner.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the device could enable more newborns to get continuous EEG monitoring, leading to earlier seizure detection, shorter hospital stays, and better long-term outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier project phases demonstrated that the dry electrodes yield EEG signals comparable to traditional gel electrodes in the NICU, though widespread clinical benefit across many hospitals has yet to be shown.
Where this research is happening
-
Quasar, INC.
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdonald, Neil J — Quasar, INC.
- Study coordinator: Mcdonald, Neil J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.