Showing posts with label life science hardware. Show all posts
Mobita Wireless EEG Takes a Glimpse Into the Future-Monitoring Prestimulus EEG Data
New studies examining physiological causality and electroencephalographic (EEG) correlations have provided insight on how the wearable and wireless Mobita Amplifier from BIOPAC is making an impact. A research team at the University of California, Santa Barbara, working with the American Institute of Physics, gathered data consistent with findings to conclude the psychological existence of retrocausality. The group focused on light and sound stimuli identification rates for frontal, central, and occipital parts of the brain.
The test data was divided into a pre-stimulus identification rate as well as a post-stimulus rate, to examine any correlation between standard physics and their hypothesis. No information about the stimulus should be expected to exist prior to stimulus selection. EEG recordings preceding each stimulus are analyzed to find correlations with the future selected stimulus.
During the case study, experimental subjects were fitted with a wireless EEG head cap (BIOPAC MB-32EEG-CAP-A) with 32 electrodes; the wearable BIOPAC Mobita Amplifier was utilized for its capacity to record 32 channels of high fidelity wireless EEG data. The head cap’s electrodes used paper-cotton strips soaked in water to make electrical connection with the scalp. Accompanied by BIOPAC’s AcqKnowledge research software, researchers implemented a modern and efficient process while exploring the validity of their test results and research findings.
The campus research group sought to measure electro cortical evoked potentials in the general population using random subjects with hopes of creating a basic means of measurement. Furthermore, “real-time analysis of EEG data may allow quantum events to be predicted in advance, which would affect interpretations of quantum mechanics and our notions of causality” (Baumgart et. al.). While conducting their experiment, the research group focused on keeping a furtive introduction of stimuli to test subjects equipped with the Mobita Amplifier. Stimuli were then chosen using a quantum random number generator (qRNG) and introduced to non-selected test samples.
Time durations for both light and sound stimuli vary in lengths to provide a way to differentiate the stimuli in the digital channel recording. Since sound stimuli contain longer durations than light, stimuli were recognized by digital signal length as well as being recorded by the stimulus control program. To quantify the interval of sound stimuli, the digital conduit also evaluated the voltage in parallel across the buzzer circuit to better monitor the reaction to sound stimuli. Furthermore, identification of stimulus type based on post-stimulus reaction was supported by the group’s current data for the frontal and central regions but not the occipital region.
The yielded results have lead to planning of future tests and have implicated that the existence of retrocausality is in fact measurable.
The Body Electric | Surface EMG
Electricity
is part of everything the body does.
Surface EMG electrodes noninvasively record the electrical activity of skeletal
muscles. The unit of measure for the electrical activity is the volt, which is named after Count
Alessandro Volta (who also invented the battery). The detection, amplification,
and recording of changes in skin voltage produced by underlying skeletal muscle
contraction is called electromyography;
the recording thus obtained is called an electromyogram (EMG).
Electricity
is always flowing in the body; it flows from negatively charged parts of the
body to positively charged parts. As this electricity flows, surface EMG (sEMG)
electrodes can detect and monitor the electrical activity.
Surface EMG electrodes noninvasively record the electrical activity of skeletal
muscles. The unit of measure for the electrical activity is the volt, which is named after Count
Alessandro Volta (who also invented the battery). The detection, amplification,
and recording of changes in skin voltage produced by underlying skeletal muscle
contraction is called electromyography;
the recording thus obtained is called an electromyogram (EMG).
Skeletal
muscles are stimulated to contract by somatic motor nerves that carry signals
in the form of nerve impulses from the brain or spinal cord to the skeletal
muscles. Although a single motor neuron can innervate several muscle fibers,
each muscle fiber is innervated by only one motor neuron. The combination of a
single motor neuron and all of the muscle fibers it controls is called a motor
unit. When a somatic motor neuron is activated, all of the muscle fibers it
innervates respond to the neuron’s impulses by generating their own electrical
signals that lead to contraction of the activated muscle fibers.
Integrated EMG “averages out” noise spikes in the raw EMG
data to provide a more accurate indication of the EMG output level
Muscle activation,
strength, fatigue, or twitch can be
monitored with surface EMG electrodes from a variety of body locations
to study Gait, Range of Motion, Isometric and Isotonic Contraction, Ergonomics,
startle response, etc. sEMG data can be
combined with other data to display muscle response simultaneously with other
physiological events.
MP150 Data Acquisition Software
AcqKnowledge is the next generation in data acquisition and analysis.
With BIOPAC Systems’ MP System and AcqKnowledge acquisition software, research is more efficient than ever. Record, organize, manage and analyze data easily with AcqKnowledge’s intuitive interface and updated features.
The MP150 Data Acquisition System includes:
- Ethernet-ready data acquisition and analysis
- Ability to record multiple channels with differing samples rates
- Function to record at speeds of up to 400 kHz (aggregate)
AcqKnowledge provides numerous video tutorials which allow you to spend less time learning the software and more time recording and analyzing data. Additionally, the system can be placed in your local area network (LAN), and you can use any PC in the LAN to record from any MP150 system in the network.
AcqKnowledge Benefits and Features
BIOPAC MP150 Systems utilize AcqKnowledge software. Some of the major benefits of AcqKnowledge acquisition software include:
- Improved lab efficiency
- Enhanced security and data integrity
- Configurable user interface
- Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) template options
New for AcqKnowledge Version 4.3
The latest version of AcqKnowledge includes several exciting updates which have made the software even more easy to use than before.
Focus Areas – This feature simplifies and standardizes data analysis by allowing you to analyze data in selected regions, as well as use it with the most automated analysis routines and the Find Cycle Detector. When you set up focus areas, you can individually label them and search for cycles on these specific regions. The focus areas can then be downloaded into separate spreadsheets. For example, when conducting automated blood pressure analysis, you can download the search baseline, test phase and recovery period focus areas separately.
Channel Specific Grid Functionality – When using grids within a data file, the grids can be enabled or disabled for different graphs. For instance, if you need a different grid for ECG and Alpha EEG waveform on the same graph, you can adjust and customize each grid. This new tool also allows you to save graph templates and presets for future use.
Linked Acquisitions – Linked Acquisitions allows you to record from multiple MP150s, MP36Rs, B-Alert Headsets and BioHarness. You can choose from multiple synchronization methods and specify whether or not to create a merged data file at the end of recording. The merged data file then will contain all of your channels of data from each recording, with independent data files for each device.
Locate Animal ECG Complex Boundaries – This new system locates and marks animal ECG complex boundaries, and functions the same way as the Locate Human ECG Complex Boundaries. However, this feature is optimized for the faster heart rates of small animals. To use the Locate Animal ECG Complex Boundaries, simply enter in the average heart rate for the file, run the routine locater and mark the ECG complex boundaries.
New Preset Options – Presets help save time on recording and analysis. Rate, expression and box configuration presets are available for both calculation channel set-up and offline analysis. When using this feature, you simply specify the number of horizontal and vertical measurement boxes desired, and then save as a preset for future use.
New User Interface Features – Version 4.3 includes many new user interface features, including tabbed window display (multiple tabs containing different tab files), textual value toolbar, selection palette enhancements, linked selections, autoscale single waveform, configure number of horizontal measurements, remove annotations from a single channel and journal docking location preference.
Pressure-Volume Loop Analysis – Baseline analysis is useful for looking at immediate drug delivery effects and when positioning a catheter. The pressure-volume loop analysis feature includes a preconfigured QuickStart template which helps you start recording quickly, and enables you to analyze pressure-volume loops data from anesthetized animals. This tool lets you easily pause recordings and run a quick baseline analysis during use, and features an intuitive loop graph display with a built-in text table.
Learn More About MP150 Data Acquisition Software
If you are interested in learning more about how the MP System and AcqKnowledge acquisition software can help you work faster and smarter, please contact BIOPAC Systems.
BIOPAC is dedicated to developing innovative, high quality and competitively priced life sciences educational and research hardware and software designed to meet customers’ needs.
Heart Rate Variability
What
is Heart Rate Variability?
Heart
rate variability studies examine alterations in the interval between heart
beats. Several physiological variables can affect the normal rhythm of the
heart and the interaction between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous
systems.
Heart
rate fluctuates based on a variety of conditions and can indicate the presence
of disease or forewarn impending cardiac diseases. These indicators may always
be present but sometimes may only occur occasionally at specific
times throughout the day. Heart rate is monitored to assess the
health of a subject or the significance of heart abnormalities. Data
acquisition of this caliber can have profound advancements in the way heart
conditions are understood and treatments are developed.
Monitoring
heart rate variability may be time consuming and difficult without the right
tools in place.
How
heart rate variability works
The
base of your heart rate is located in the
sinoatrial (SA) node of the heart. In this node, cells continuously generate an
electrical impulse which is spread through the entire heart muscle, causing a
contraction. The number of electrical impulses generated per minute is
equivalent to the heart beats per minute.
The autonomic nervous system largely controls the heart rate and
rhythm of the heart, and is broken down into two separate areas: the
parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system.
The parasympathetic nervous system affects the heart rate
through the release of acetylcholine by the vagus nerve. This can impede
activation of SA node activity and may also decrease HRV.
The sympathetic nervous system impacts the heart rate through a
release of epinephrine and norepinephrine. This usually increases activity of
the SA node and may increase HRV.
How
BIOPAC fits in
When
performing heart rate variability analysis, the importance of recording proper
data can not be overstated.
"Results
reveal that even a single heart period artifact, occurring within a 2-min
recording epoch, can lead to errors of estimate heart period variability that
are considerably larger than typical effect sizes in psychophysiological
studies."
—Berntson
& Stowell, 1998
Data Acquisition Software | Accelerometers
What Are Accelerometers?
Accelerometers are widely used for measuring
vibration in rotating machinery, moving vehicles, aircraft, in
structures. In this case, they are used for measuring small muscle
vibrations in the body.
New types of accelerometers and integrated sensor
systems are now replacing more traditional vibration sensors for a number
of reasons such as lower cost, better performance, rugged design, and smaller
size. The new devices offer increased sensitivity, a wider range of
operating frequencies, and much wider range of application in industry.
How do Accelerometers work?
 |
| BIOPAC Accelerometer 50 G -TSD109F |
Accelerometers work in many different ways. Some
accelerometers use the piezoelectric effect - containing microscopic crystal
structures that get stressed by accelerative forces, causing a voltage to be
generated. Another is by sensing changes in capacitance. If you have two
microstructures next to each other, they have a certain capacitance between
them. If an accelerative force moves one of the structures, the capacitance
will change. Add circuitry to convert from capacitance to voltage, and you get
an accelerometer. There are many other methods, including use of the
piezo-resistive effect and light.
What should I consider when choosing the right
accelerometer:
-Reproducibility of results
You don't just want great results, you want
results that are as accurate and reproducible as possible.
-Sensitivity - Generally
speaking, the more sensitivity the better. This means that for a given change
in acceleration, there will be a larger change in signal. Since larger signal
changes are easier to measure, you will get more accurate readings.
BIOPAC's TSD250
The TSD250 is a sensitive accelerometer for
use with BIOPAC
Vibromyography Systems that use advanced
signal analysis algorithms to monitor muscle vibration.
Accelerometers are secured over the muscle
belly and record the small vibrations that occur when the muscle is
activated. The technique allows researchers to study muscle performance and
strength balance.
VMG provides extremely reproducible results. The
single sensor solution and the lack of skin preparation improve the reliability
and reproducibility of muscle effort recordings between muscles and across
subjects.
Learn More About TSD250 Data Acquisition Software
If you are interested in learning more about
gaining access to the best data acquisition software in the industry, please
check out BIOPAC's Vibromyography Transducer TSD250. (http://www.biopac.com/VMG-transducer)
BIOPAC is dedicated to developing innovative,
high quality and competitively priced life sciences educational and research hardware and
software designed to meet customers’ needs.