Rita Pasion1, Tiago O Paiva2, Paulo Pedrosa3, Hugo Gaspar4, Beatriz Vasconcelos5, Ana C Martins6, Maria H Amaral7, João M Nóbrega8, Ricardo Páscoa9, Carlos Fonseca10, Fernando Barbosa11. 1. University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: ritapasion@gmail.com. 2. University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: tiagopaiva@fpce.up.pt. 3. University of Porto, Faculty of Engeneering, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; University of Coimbra, CEMUC-Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rua Luís Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: paulomat35253@gmail.com. 4. University of Porto, Faculty of Engeneering, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: hugo.da.silva.gaspar@gmail.com. 5. University of Porto, Faculty of Engeneering, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: vasconcelos.beatriz@gmail.com. 6. University of Porto, Faculty of Engeneering, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; University of Coimbra, CEMUC-Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rua Luís Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal. 7. University of Porto, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: hamaral.ffup@gmail.com. 8. University of Minho, Institute for Polymers and Composites/I3N, Campus of Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal. Electronic address: mnobrega@dep.uminho.pt. 9. REQUIMTE-Associated Laboratory for the Green Chemistry, GABAI-Biochemical, Environmental and Industrial Analysis Group, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: rnpascoa@ff.up.pt. 10. University of Porto, Faculty of Engeneering, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; University of Coimbra, CEMUC-Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rua Luís Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: cfonseca@fe.up.pt. 11. University of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: fbarbosa@fpce.up.pt.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The EEG technique has decades of valid applications in clinical and experimental neurophysiology. EEG equipment and data analysis methods have been characterized by remarkable developments, but the skin-to-electrode signal transfer remains a challenge for EEG recording. NEW METHOD: A novel quasi-dry system - the polymer wick-based electrode - was developed to overcome the limitations of conventional dry and wet silver/silver-chloride (Ag/AgCl) electrodes for EEG recording. RESULTS: Nine participants completed an auditory oddball protocol with simultaneous EEG acquisition using both the conventional Ag/AgCl and the wick electrodes. Wick system successfully recorded the expected P300 modulation. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S): Standard ERP analysis, residual random noise analysis, and single-trial analysis of the P300 wave were performed in order to compare signal acquired by both electrodes. It was found that the novel wick electrode performed similarly to the conventional Ag/AgCl electrodes. CONCLUSIONS: The developed wick electrode appears to be a reliable alternative for EEG research, representing a promising halfway alternative between wet and dry electrodes.
BACKGROUND: The EEG technique has decades of valid applications in clinical and experimental neurophysiology. EEG equipment and data analysis methods have been characterized by remarkable developments, but the skin-to-electrode signal transfer remains a challenge for EEG recording. NEW METHOD: A novel quasi-dry system - the polymer wick-based electrode - was developed to overcome the limitations of conventional dry and wet silver/silver-chloride (Ag/AgCl) electrodes for EEG recording. RESULTS: Nine participants completed an auditory oddball protocol with simultaneous EEG acquisition using both the conventional Ag/AgCl and the wick electrodes. Wick system successfully recorded the expected P300 modulation. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S): Standard ERP analysis, residual random noise analysis, and single-trial analysis of the P300 wave were performed in order to compare signal acquired by both electrodes. It was found that the novel wick electrode performed similarly to the conventional Ag/AgCl electrodes. CONCLUSIONS: The developed wick electrode appears to be a reliable alternative for EEG research, representing a promising halfway alternative between wet and dry electrodes.
Authors: Mihai Musteata; Denis Gabriel Borcea; Raluca Ștefănescu; Gheorghe Solcan; Radu Lăcătuș Journal: Sensors (Basel) Date: 2018-11-16 Impact factor: 3.576