Dry Electrodes for EMG Measurement with Cyton?
Hi!
I saw that gelled passive electrodes were used in the EMG setup guide for the Cyton board. I was wondering if it'd be possible to use dry passive electrodes instead, like the ones described in Section 2.3.2.1. and Figure 5 of this article. If so, can anyone possibly share some good electrodes to buy or to make DIY?
Thank you for any help!
Comments
Ryan, hi.
I believe numerous "bar electrodes" such as in the paper you cite, are available online.
https://www.google.com/search?q=emg+bar+electrode&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS577US577&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X
Certainly these would require good quality adhesive tape to affix to the subject. The comb or cone type dry electrodes listed at FRI (and carried in the OpenBCI Shop), may be uncomfortable, since they are not using flat surfaces. But their page also lists flat snap type electrodes, that mate with the cables.
https://www.fri-fl-shop.com/product-category/electrodes/eeg-electrodes/
https://shop.openbci.com/products/emg-ecg-snap-electrode-cables?variant=37345654079646
https://www.mvapmed.com/electrodes-leads/lead-wires/button-snap/button-snap-1-5mm-lead-5-pack-.html
Note that silver chloride plated dry electrodes (such as the FRI), while beneficial for EEG, may be less needed for EMG, since the EMG signal is in the millivolts range, and EEG is microvolts. So the first link bar electrodes showed other metal types.
William
I believe that even with the 'bar electrodes' shown in the images above, the technicians using these with subjects, would STILL apply a thin layer of electrolyte gel to the two buttons. Before taping the bar to the skin.
You could to the same with the flat-snap type FRI electrodes. Just be careful not to get any gel inside the female snap or on the male post of the electrode. Just a very small thin layer is all you need to improve conduction.