Company: OpenBCI, Inc.
Headquarters: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Founded: 2013
Founder: Joel Murphy and Conor Russomanno
Status: Private
Focus: Open-Source Brain-Computer Interface Technology
OpenBCI is a neurotechnology company that designs and manufactures open-source BCI hardware and software, including EEG and EMG systems used extensively in Parkinson's disease research and tremor analysis .
Unlike traditional BCI companies that focus on medical applications, OpenBCI serves the broader neurotechnology research community, enabling innovation across neuroscience research, neurofeedback, art installations, and educational applications.
- Type: Private company
- Funding: Product revenue, Kickstarter
| Specification |
Details |
| Channels |
8 (Cyton) or 16 (Cyton+) EEG channels |
| Sampling Rate |
250 Hz (Cyton) or 500 Hz (Cyton+) |
| Resolution |
24-bit ADC |
| Connectivity |
USB or Bluetooth |
| Compatibility |
Windows, macOS, Linux |
- Lower cost, 4-channel EEG
- Designed for beginners and educators
- WiFi-enabled options
- Wearable EEG headset
- Dry electrodes (no gel required)
- Adjustable fit
- Multiple channel configurations
- OpenBCI GUI — Cross-platform graphical interface for data visualization
- BrainFlow — Open-source library for brain data acquisition and processing
- Python SDK — PyOpenBCI for custom applications
- Third-party integration — Compatible with Unity, Max/MSP, Processing, and other platforms
- Neuroscience experiments
- Cognitive psychology studies
- Brain-computer interface algorithm development
- EEG signal processing research
- STEM education programs
- Neuroscience workshops
- DIY biohacking communities
- University lab equipment
- Neuro-art installations
- Meditation and mindfulness apps
- Accessibility devices
- Gaming and VR integration
- Assistive technology development
- Rehabilitation monitoring
- Sleep studies
- ADHD and focus research
OpenBCI's platforms have become widely adopted in PD research due to their affordability, open-source design, and customization capabilities:
¶ Tremor Analysis and Monitoring
Research applications of OpenBCI hardware for PD tremor characterization include:
- Tremor frequency estimation: Using EEG and EMG channels to characterize resting tremor frequency (4-6 Hz in PD) and distinguish from essential tremor
- Home-based monitoring: Deploying OpenBCI systems for longitudinal PD motor symptom tracking outside clinic settings
- EMG-based characterization: Using EMG biosensing boards for quantitative tremor amplitude and frequency analysis
- Movement disorder differentiation: Algorithmic approaches to distinguish PD tremor from other movement disorders using EEG/EMG signatures
OpenBCI platforms support BCI development for PD patients:
- Motor imagery BCI: Enabling control of external devices through imagined movements
- Neural feedback: Closed-loop systems for adaptive neurofeedback in PD
- Communication BCI: AAC systems for PD patients with advanced disease and speech impairment
- Deep brain stimulation control: Research platforms for adaptive DBS parameter optimization
OpenBCI's open-source approach has fostered a research community:
- BrainFlow library: Open-source framework for real-time neural data acquisition and processing
- Custom algorithms: Researchers develop and share PD-specific analysis tools
- Reproducible research: Open hardware enables replication of findings across labs
- Rapid prototyping: Low barrier to entry for testing new BCI approaches
OpenBCI occupies a unique niche as the primary provider of affordable, open-source BCI hardware. Their customers include:
- Academic researchers at universities worldwide
- Independent researchers and hobbyists
- Technology companies prototyping BCI applications
- Artists and creative technologists
- Educational institutions
¶ Competitive Landscape
| Company |
Focus |
Price Point |
| OpenBCI |
Research/Hobbyist |
00-,000 |
| Emotiv |
Consumer/Research |
00-,000 |
| g.tec |
Medical/Research |
0,000+ |
| Muse |
Consumer Meditation |
50 |
OpenBCI's BCI technology interfaces with several key neurodegenerative disease mechanisms:
OpenBCI's open-source platforms are widely used in neurodegenerative disease research:
The open-source nature enables researchers to customize protocols for specific neurodegeneration research needs.
See the BCI Company Comparison for technology comparisons.
For neurodegenerative disease research and patient care, OpenBCI platforms are particularly valuable for:
- Alzheimer's Disease: Cognitive monitoring, early detection research, memory assessment
- Parkinson's Disease: Movement analysis, tremor characterization, gait monitoring
- ALS: Communication interfaces for patients with locked-in syndrome
- Frontotemporal Dementia: Behavioral monitoring, executive function assessment
OpenBCI's open-source approach makes it valuable for research into neurodegenerative disease mechanisms.
OpenBCI offers specific configurations optimized for movement disorder research:
- Cyton board + 4 EMG channels
- Accelerometer integration for movement tracking
- Custom software for real-time tremor analysis
- Used in academic PD research worldwide
¶ Gait and Movement Analysis
- Ganglion board + IMU sensors
- Lower limb EMG placement for gait cycle analysis
- Integration with motion capture systems
- Research on PD gait characteristics and fall risk
- Long-term EEG/EMG recording capability
- Cloud data upload for remote monitoring
- Low-power consumption for extended recording
- Research protocols for remote PD symptom tracking