A new EEG recording system for passive dry electrodes

Abstract

Objective: We present a new, low power EEG recording system with an ultra-high input impedance that enables the use of long-lasting, passive dry electrodes. It incorporates Bluetooth wireless connectivity and is designed to be suitable for long-term monitoring during daily activities. Methods: The new EEG system is compared to a standard and clinically available reference EEG system using wet electrodes in three separate sets of experiments. In the first two experiments, each dry electrode was surrounded by four standard wet electrodes and the alpha and mu-rhythms were recorded. In the third experiment, serial monopolar (referred to the left ear) recordings of flash visual evoked potential were performed using the new EEG system and a reference system. Results: These experiments showed that the signal recorded using the new EEG system is almost identical to that recorded with standard clinical EEG equipment; our measurements showed that the correlation coefficient between the dry electrode recordings and the average of the four standard electrodes surrounding each dry electrode is greater than 0.85. Conclusion: We conclude that the new EEG system performs similarly to reference EEG systems, while providing the advantages of portability, ease of application and minimal scalp preparation. Significance: The proposed system using passive dry electrodes suitable for single use while performing as good as standard EEG equipment provides ease of application and minimal scalp preparation. © 2009 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology.