  Phantom devices allow the human variable to be controlled for in order to
allow clear comparison and validation of biomedical imaging hardware and
software. There is currently no standard phantom for electroencephalography
(EEG). To be useful, such a device would need to: (a) accurately recreate the
real and imaginary components of scalp electrical impedance, (b) contain
internal emitters to create electrical dipoles, and (c) be easily replicable
across various labs and research groups. Cost-effective materials, which are
conductive, repeatable, and easily formed are a missing key enabler for EEG
phantoms. Here, we explore the use of ballistics gelatin, an inexpensive,
easily-formable and repeatable material, as a putative substrate by examining
its electrical properties and physical stability over time. We show that varied
concentrations of NaCl salt relative to gelatin powder shifts the
phase/frequency response profile, allowing for selective tuning of the material
electrical properties.
