are 'touchproof' EEG connections standardized ?
shivasongster
Philadelphia
This is the touch proof connector set that came with my Cyton:
I'd like to get a proper set of electrodes to connect with this, but the way they are often listed is misleading and confusing.
I found some electrodes online, but before I order, I'd like to confirm that they will be compatible.
If these do not look correct, what are some sources for affordable touch proof electrodes?
Comments
Jeremy, hi.
Yes virtually all EEG connectors used clinically / medically use the same 'touchproof' international standard. The electrodes you show will mate with the adapter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EEG_DIN_connector
There are many suppliers of inexpensive electrodes, searchable online. One I have used before is MVAP,
https://www.mvapmed.com/electrodes-leads/
Yet another option you have with any electrode, is to simply cut off the touchproof connector, if you find the adapter unwieldy, and splice on a female "jumper wire" (Berg, Dupont) connector. For example this might be the case if your electrode wires are hugely long. Wires longer than a few feet will pickup more movement and EMF artifact noise.
https://www.adafruit.com/category/306 [by cutting these in half and splicing]
Regards, William
Thanks for the reply William.
I guess I am still not convinced because looking at the sizes, I don't understand how the connectors fit together here. The example I am showing above just looks too big. Maybe it's an issue of scale with the photo.
I find it hard to believe there isn't at least a video somewhere of someone demonstrating this. I've just scoured YouTube and find a lot of people focused on the headset, but no one showing the basic connections being made, step by step. It's an obscure request for sure, but coming from the audio world, I can find all kinds of demos of our multitude of connectors (and we've got some strange ones!). Surely, someone must have thought of this.
As for cutting these off of my cable... that's the exact opposite of what I want to do right now. I'm trying to work with the gear I have, but use it more effectively with a longer set of electrodes. I don't want to introduce more variables by having to splice cables. I also don't have the funding of a large lab, so I can't afford one of the swank BCI headsets
As mentioned, all EEG connectors use the DIN standard. Your plugs will mate with the adapter. Adapter has a female shell with a male pin inside. Your electrode plug is a smaller male shell with a female connector inside.
Looking more closely at your electrodes themselves, do you realize these are NOT "cup electrodes" ? The skin contact surface is flat. Cups are designed to hold a blob of Ten20 electrode paste, which aids in it's adhesion to the scalp. Flat electrodes are in use, but they have less scalp adhesion, because of the thinner layer of paste on the flat surface. Some flat electrode applications use additional bandage layer to hold the electrodes down.
As suggested, longer electrode leads will result in more noise. If the Cyton is mounted near the head, then leads are naturally very short and less prone to movement induced noise.
I am well aware of what the gold cup side looks like. I have one of those from the kit (and the paste). I am just looking for something a little longer to work with, and also work with the touch proof connectors.