Touch the Grass

Stay calm and focused: reduce stress while sending messages and emails.

"Touch the Grass" is an innovative neuro-feedback project designed to monitor and actively help users reduce stress and maintain focus while performing attention-demanding tasks, such as writing emails or chatting. It combines a real-time EEG processing backend with a cross-browser extension. It has been created during Neurohackaton Fall 2025 Wroclaw University of Science and Technology

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Features

• Real-Time EEG Monitoring: The Python backend uses a BrainAccess device to acquire and process EEG signals in real-time from Fp1 and Fp2 electrodes.
• Focus and Stress Metrics: It calculates focus and stress metrics from the EEG data, handles artifact rejection (e.g., movement), and streams the results to the frontend via a WebSocket server.
• Simulation Mode: If the EEG device is unavailable or BrainAccess libraries aren't found, the server automatically switches to Simulation Mode, generating random data for testing and demonstration.
• Browser Integration: The Chrome/Edge extension runs in the background and uses content scripts to inject a user interface on virtually any website (<all_urls>).
• Configuration Mechanisms: The extension has host permissions for external services like YouTube and a Sudoku API and utilises them for metrics calibration to make measures of users max focus level and stress level with limited time tasks.

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Technologies

Component	Technology	Description
Backend	Python, websockets, brainaccess SDK, mne	Server for EEG acquisition and processing. Uses WebSocket on port 8765 for frontend communication.
Frontend	Chrome/Edge Extension (Manifest V3), JavaScript, HTML, CSS	Browser extension consuming data from the WebSocket and reacting to stress/focus levels.

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Setup and Installation

The project requires running the Python backend server separately and installing the browser extension.

1. Backend Setup (Python Server)

A. Prerequisites

• BrainAccess Halo
• Python 3

B. Installation

1. Clone the repository (if not already done).

   git clone [YOUR_REPO_LINK]
   cd neurohackathon-main

2. Create and activate a virtual environment (recommended).
   • Linux:

     python3 -m venv venv
     source venv/bin/activate

   • Windows:

     python -m venv .venv
     .venv\Scripts\activate.bat

3. Install dependencies: The project relies on libraries like brainaccess, mne, numpy, and websockets.

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Run the EEG server: The default device name is "BA MINI 047". If you are using a different device, update the DEVICE_NAME variable in app/backend/server.py.

   python app/backend/server.py

   The server will listen on ws://localhost:8765.

2. Frontend Installation (Browser Extension)

1. Open your browser's extensions management page (e.g., chrome://extensions).
2. Enable Developer Mode.
3. Click the Load unpacked button.
4. Select the app/extension/ directory from the cloned repository.
5. The "Touch the Grass" extension should now be loaded and active.

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Project Structure

neurohackathon-main/
├── app/
│   ├── backend/
│   │   ├── server.py
│   │   └── processor.py
│   ├── extension/
│   │   ├── icons/*
│   │   ├── videos/*
│   │   ├── background.js
│   │   ├── content.js
│   │   ├── manifest.json
│   │   ├── package.json
│   │   ├── popup.js
│   │   └── popup.html
├── requirements.txt
└── device-guide/