FAQ

Is it a medical device? No. exocortex is not a medical device and is not for diagnosing, treating or monitoring any condition.

Does it work? It is designed, and not yet built or measured on a head. Contact quality through hair, noise, comfort, battery life and heat are all unmeasured. We will publish the measurements from the first units before any unit ships.

When does it ship? We expect to ship the first 100 by December 2027. That is an estimate from the plan, not a promise. The helmet must also be authorized by the FCC (and CE/UKCA marked for Europe) before we may deliver one. If we cannot ship by the date we gave you, we email you before that date, and you can cancel for a full refund (terms of sale § 4).

Can I cancel my pre-order? Yes, at any time before it ships, for a full refund. Use the "Cancel and refund" link on your order page, or email support@exocortex2.com with your order number.

Do you sell a kit? Not now. A kit needs the same radio authorization as a finished helmet.

How many channels does it have? 1,118 contacts, each sampled 500 times a second, plus a reference contact and a bias contact.

Does it need gel? No. Each contact is a gold-plated spring pin that presses through the hair. Whether that works on every hair type is one of the things still to be measured.

Does it hurt? It should not, and comfort is unmeasured. Each contact is a spring pin specified to press with 8.5–11.8 g, about 113 N on the whole head (calculated; the catalogue pin, up to 70 g each, would give 432 N). The force on a head has not been measured. Stop if it hurts.

Which size do I need? There are three sizes, by the head's circumference: S under 56 cm, M 56–58.4 cm, L 58.4 cm and over. To measure, run a soft tape just above your eyebrows and around the back of your head, and take the size whose range holds your number. If you are not sure, choose "Not sure" when you pre-order. You can give your circumference there too (optional). We confirm your size and fit before you pay the balance.

Will it fit my head? The boards hang from a soft stretch-knit cap, with no hard shell: each board is held at its centre by a small button through the knit and tilts to sit flat on your head. Real heads have not been measured yet. We confirm your size and fit before you pay the balance, and your deposit stays fully refundable until your unit ships.

Can I wash it? Yes, without the electronics: unclip them, hand-wash the cap at 30 °C and dry it flat.

How long does the battery last? About 2 hours with all five cameras streaming, about 3 hours with the cameras off (calculated, with four packs, 4,000 mAh and 14.8 Wh in all). It charges in about 2.5 hours.

Can I wear it while it charges? No. The helmet turns off its contacts while a USB cable is plugged in, on purpose. Charge it off the head.

Where does my data go? To your own computer. The app stores the EEG, video, sound and anything you import on the computer it runs on, and encrypts every file it records there (AES-256-GCM, its key in your computer's keychain where it has one). We do not receive it (privacy).

Can someone on my Wi-Fi see my EEG or control the helmet? No. Over Wi-Fi the hub talks only to a computer you paired with it over its USB cable, and everything between them, EEG, video and sound included, is encrypted and authenticated. Anyone else on the network gets nothing, not even the hub's version. You can unpair a computer, or reset the pairing, with the cable in Settings › Sensors.

Does it work with my phone? A phone pairs with the computer that runs the app, and shows the stream, searches and adds its own microphone, camera and location. The helmet itself streams to the computer (app § phones and sync).

Which computers? The desktop app is built for Linux and Windows; the Windows installer is not signed yet, and macOS comes once the app is signed. Without the desktop app, the app runs in a Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Edge) at app.exocortex2.com, and keeps your data in that browser (app § desktop).

Can I record other people? Only as the law where you are allows. Many places require everyone's consent to record a conversation (terms of use § 4).

Is it open source? No. The helmet's design, its firmware and the app are proprietary. We do not publish the design files.

Which countries do you ship to? The checkout accepts the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore. Delivery outside the US depends on each region's authorization; we will tell you before we charge anything further.

How do I get help? See support.