My second mental image was an alligator clip connected to a hair on a person’s head.

It's not just the headline. "... a single electrode that looks just like a strand of hair and is more reliable than the standard, multi-electrode version." "The researchers tested the device’s long-term adhesion and electrical performance and compared it to the current, standard EEG using multiple electrodes."

I read the story three times and I'm still confused. But I'm sure you're right, and I think it's the author who's confused.

OK, thanks, we’ve changed the URL to this from https://newatlas.com/medical-devices/3d-printed-hairlike-eeg....