Headbands that monitor children’s brains to see if they are concentrating in class have been trialled in China.

The technology from BrainCo, a start-up backed by Harvard University based in Massachusetts, USA, has been tested with 10,000 children aged 10 to 17, during a 21-day trial, according to a report in New Scientist.

BrainCo’s Focus headband uses EEG (electroencephalography) sensors to detect the electrical signals in the brain.

The information is then converted via software to give teachers the ability to see children’s attention levels in real time on their computer. The headbands also have lights on the front to show whether children are concentrating.

Testing pupils’ concentration levels

The company’s website also says that the technology can be used to train students how to calm themselves and meditate.

Bicheng Han, founder of BrainCo, told New Scientist that students in the trials had seen a 10 per cent improvement in their grades, but some academics questioned the experiment.

Russell Barkley, at Virginia Commonwealth University, said the improvements could be due to a placebo effect. “It’s from the parents’ expectation, not the products,” he said.