Open Ephys electroencephalography (Open Ephys +EEG): a modular, low-cost, open-source solution to human neural recording.

Open Ephys electroencephalography (Open Ephys +EEG): a modular, low-cost, open-source solution to human neural recording.

J Neural Eng. 2017 Mar 07;:

Authors: Black C, Voigts J, Agrawal U, Ladow M, Santoyo J, Moore C, Jones S

Abstract
Electroencephalography (EEG) offers a unique opportunity to study human neural activity non-invasively with millisecond resolution using minimal equipment in or outside of a lab setting. EEG can be combined with a number of techniques for closed-loop experiments, where external devices are driven by specific neural signals. For example, EEG signals have been used to regulate anesthetic delivery, to control brain-computer interfaces, and to drive transcranial alternating current stimulation for the treatment of psychiatric illness. However, reliable, commercially available EEG systems are expensive, often making them impractical for individual use and research development. Moreover, by design, a majority of these systems cannot be easily altered to the specification needed by the end user. This rigidity makes it extremely difficult or infeasible to adapt EEG to novel closed-loop experiments. For instance, many current systems are not able to communicate with software and hardware from other vendors, nor are they able to achieve low-latency timescales (100 ms) necessary to operate on the fast patterns of neural activities. Recently, open-source alternatives to commercial systems have been developed that can eliminate these problems, driving down research costs and promoting collaborations and innovations. Here, we present methods to expand the use of a commercially available, open-source electrophysiology system, Open Ephys (www.openephys.org), to include human EEG recordings providing a novel technique for low-cost, easily-adaptable EEG recording. We describe the equipment and protocol necessary to interface various EEG caps with the Open Ephys acquisition board, and detail methods for processing data. We present applications of Open Ephys + EEG as a research tool and discuss how this innovative EEG technology lays a framework for improved closed-loop paradigms and novel brain-computer interface experiments.

PMID: 28266930 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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