The advent of multiple electrode recording, dense arrays and mathematical techniques such as non-linear dynamics has invigorated brain electrical recording techniques. Taking advantage of the excellent temporal resolution of the EEG, this summary review details several innovations, concentrating on (1) the rapid changes in electrical activity and a consequent stable complex pattern; and (2) the utilization of engineering techniques that have been applied across scales ranging upward from quantum physics. The implications for brain localization and for communication science are developed.