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Apple has described a possible earbud-based brain-signal sensor in a patent application, but there is no verified evidence that current AirPods measure brain waves. The filing concerns electroencephalography (EEG) and other biosignals; it is not a product announcement, a promise of a launch, or evidence that AirPods can decode thoughts.
What Apple’s patent application actually says
Apple’s U.S. application US20230225659A1 is titled “Biosignal Sensing Device Using Dynamic Selection of Electrodes.” The application describes a wearable device that could be configured as an earbud, a pair of earbuds, or another kind of headset. It is broader than EEG: the signals it discusses include electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), electrooculography (EOG), electrocardiography (ECG), galvanic skin response (GSR), and blood-volume pulse (BVP).
| Record detail | What the application record lists |
|---|---|
| Publication number and title | US20230225659A1, “Biosignal Sensing Device Using Dynamic Selection of Electrodes” |
| Priority date | January 14, 2022 |
| Filing date | January 9, 2023 |
| Publication date | July 20, 2023 |
| Listed assignee | Apple Inc. |
| Status shown in the patent record | Pending; the record cautions that its legal-status information is not a legal conclusion. |
These details are from the published patent application record. A published application makes the described invention public; it does not by itself show that the application was granted, that Apple built a working product, or that a product will be released.
How the proposed earbud sensing system would work
The application’s central idea is not simply to put an electrode in an earbud. It describes using multiple electrodes and dynamically choosing which ones to use, because a fixed sensor arrangement may make good contact with one wearer’s ear but poor contact with another’s.
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- Place several electrodes around the earbud. The application describes active electrodes in or near the ear-tip region and reference electrodes elsewhere on the housing. In some configurations, electrodes in one earbud could be paired with reference electrodes in the other.
- Test candidate electrode combinations. The system could assess factors such as electrical impedance, signal noise, skin contact, electrode spacing, placement, and half-cell potential.
- Select a useful combination. Switching circuitry would connect a selected subset of electrodes to the sensing circuitry, with the aim of obtaining a cleaner or stronger signal.
- Update the selection. A processor could periodically reassess the configuration as fit or contact conditions change.
The application’s examples include numerous electrodes near the ear tip, rather than one universal contact point. This is meant to address a practical problem: ear shape, earbud fit, and electrode contact vary among people. The proposed selection process is intended to make the system more adaptable, not to guarantee an accurate reading for every wearer. The patent application describes the electrode arrangement and selection approach.
What “brain waves” means in this context
EEG measures voltage differences associated with electrical activity in the brain. Conventional EEG usually uses electrodes placed on the scalp. Ear-EEG places electrodes in or around the outer ear or ear canal. That positioning could be less conspicuous than a scalp cap, but it samples signals from a different set of locations and does not provide a complete map of brain activity.
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The application gives an example involving alpha-band activity around 8–12 Hz: the signal may change when a person opens or closes their eyes. That is an example of a measurable pattern, not proof that the proposed device can universally identify a mental state or deliver a finished feature. The example and frequency range appear in Apple’s application.
Can current AirPods read brain waves?
No EEG capability in current AirPods is established by the available public product information cited here. Apple’s September 2024 announcement for AirPods Pro 2 described Hearing Protection, a Hearing Test, and Hearing Aid functionality—not EEG or brain-wave monitoring. Apple said the Hearing Test takes about five minutes and described Hearing Test and Hearing Aid use with AirPods Pro 2 on the latest firmware paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad; availability and authorization can vary by feature and region. See Apple’s announcement of its AirPods hearing-health features.
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- A patent application is not a product announcement.
- A published application is not necessarily a granted patent.
- The application does not establish that existing AirPods contain the required electrodes, sensing electronics, processing, or software.
- Apple has not announced a product, release date, medical approval, or consumer EEG service based on this filing.
Why ear-based EEG would be difficult outside a lab
Fit and skin contact
Ear canals and outer-ear structures differ, and an earbud can shift as someone moves. Sweat, hair, earwax, and changing pressure may also affect electrode contact. The application itself identifies variation in ear geometry and contact quality as relevant to measurement accuracy. Dynamic electrode selection could help find a better contact arrangement, but it cannot make every fit reliable.
Weak signals and interference
EEG signals are small. Jaw and facial muscle activity, eye movement, head movement, electrical noise, and poor contact can obscure them. Walking, talking, chewing, or exercising adds motion and muscle artifacts that may make ordinary-use readings less dependable than readings taken during a controlled, stationary test.
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Reference electrodes and everyday audio
EEG is measured as a difference in electrical potential, so reference-electrode placement matters as much as the active contact. A commercial earbud would also need to coexist with speaker playback, microphones, noise cancellation, wireless electronics, and battery constraints. The application proposes electrode configurations, but it does not establish how well they would perform during everyday listening or movement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Could it read thoughts or diagnose a condition?
No. Measuring electrical activity, classifying a limited signal pattern, estimating a broad user state, and decoding a person’s thoughts are different tasks. A signal feature might eventually support a narrow interaction or state estimate, but EEG is indirect and noisy; interpretation can require processing, calibration, and controlled conditions. The application does not demonstrate unrestricted thought or language decoding.
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Nor does the filing establish clinical validation, diagnostic accuracy, FDA clearance, or authorization by another health regulator. Any future diagnostic or therapeutic use would need its own evidence and regulatory assessment. Apple’s announced AirPods hearing features illustrate that health-related functions can involve authorization and region-specific availability; those hearing features do not validate a separate EEG system. Apple’s announcement describes the hearing features and their stated availability conditions.
What the patent status does—and does not—tell you
A patent application is a submission describing an invention and seeking intellectual-property protection. Once published, it can be read publicly. The status shown for this application is pending, but the patent database says its legal-status information is not a legal conclusion. Even a granted patent would establish rights over allowed claims, not that a product exists or will ship. A product launch would require a separate announcement and hardware release.
Privacy questions a future product would need to answer
The application does not establish that Apple collects brain-signal data or set a data policy for a future product. If a consumer EEG feature were introduced, useful questions would include whether raw signals stay on-device, whether data is stored in HealthKit or another service, what third-party apps can access, how users can delete recordings, and whether the data could be used for personalization. Users would also need clear distinctions between a wellness estimate and a medical measurement, alongside meaningful consent and access controls.
Other EEG audio-device filings provide context, not proof of a market
Apple is not the only company whose patent filings describe EEG-capable audio devices. Other published applications cover EEG electrodes integrated into earbuds, bone-conduction audio devices, and headphones or headsets. These filings show that the idea is being explored in patent documents; they do not prove that mature consumer products are available or that Apple is preparing a specific AirPods feature.
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