CSIRO scientists have developed a new device which uses artificial intelligence to track a patient's recovery from traumatic brain injury.

Australian researchers have developed an artificial intelligence device that can monitor and help prevent seizures in patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries.

Traumatic brain injuries affect more than 69 million people across the globe, including 700,000 Australians. One-in-three of those are likely to develop chronic epilepsy as a result.

The device developed by Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, uses a form of artificial intelligence to track brain swelling and detect even the smallest seizures.

It then transmits the data to the patient's doctors.

"These seizures are often difficult to detect, with current monitoring techniques only able to be used in a hospital using bulky devices for less than 24 hours, providing a brief snapshot of brain activity during that time only," researcher Umut Guvenc said.

"This new method can continuously monitor brain activity wirelessly, allowing the patient to be mobile, comfortable and more socially active," Dr Guvenc said.

The new device, which researchers are developing in a "smart helmet", is specifically designed for those recovering from brain surgery and strokes.

Many people who suffer a traumatic brain injury have part of their skull temporarily removed to relieve pressure on the brain.

Long term, researchers hope the data collected by their smart helmet will help narrow down the best time to reconstruct people's skulls.

"The combination of brain swelling, surgery timing and patient outcome data will enable further study on the ideal time to perform a reconstructive cranioplasty to achieve the best patient outcome - research that will ultimately influence future medical decision," senior research engineer Peter Marendy said.