Wearable In-Ear EEG: PEDOT-Leather Sensors for Comfortable Sleep Monitoring and Auditory Intervention

Accurate sleep assessment relies on the high-quality, long-term acquisition of physiological signals. However, traditional polysomnography (PSG) relies on cumbersome equipment with poor user comfort and often interferes with the user's sleep quality. Herein, a wearable in-ear EEG sleep monitoring and intervention platform is developed based on a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/leather composite electrode. By leveraging the relatively enclosed and stable environment of the ear canal, this platform achieves an optimal balance between long-term comfort and signal accuracy. The PEDOT/leather electrode demonstrates robust electrical stability, low interfacial impedance, and high mechanical durability. Benefiting from the anatomical proximity to the central nervous system, the platform enables precise EEG acquisition and sleep stage classification (Wake, NREM, REM). Moreover, active sleep modulation is realized through integrated closed-loop acoustic stimulation. This integrated sensing-and-intervention platform offers a highly promising solution for next-generation personalized sleep medicine and neurological disease management.