Showing posts with label life science technology. Show all posts
BIOPAC: The Best Technology for Life Science Research
Are you a life science researcher? Do you need the best research system for physiological data collection and analysis? BIOPAC is a life science technology expert offering the best system and support for your research.
Where to Find the Best Technology for Life Science Research?
Many scholars face the challenge of finding the most powerful system for data acquisition and data analysis for research projects. Which software for physiology research do I need? What hardware do I need? How do I integrate the data I collect? Where to find the best research platforms? These questions may cross your mind when planning your experiment. BIOPAC offers easy-to-use systems producing high-quality data.
Many scholars face the challenge of finding the most powerful system for data acquisition and data analysis for research projects. Which software for physiology research do I need? What hardware do I need? How do I integrate the data I collect? Where to find the best research platforms? These questions may cross your mind when planning your experiment. BIOPAC offers easy-to-use systems producing high-quality data.
BIOPAC Physiology Measurement Devices
The complete product line consists of hardware and software for life science research, with four main elements:
Data Acquisition Systems (DAQs), for example, BIOPAC MP160 or MP36R.
Signal amplifiers for wireless or wired data, like BioNomadix wireless amplifiers.
Electrodes and transducers to record and transmit data, such as the BIOPAC BioNomadix wireless transmitters, or the BioNomadix BioShirt.
Analysis software with automation and scoring tools, such as AcqKnowledge.
This is the full package you need to collect, process and analyze the data for physiology research. It is suitable for synchronizing multiple signals, including EEG, ECG, EDA, EMG, eye tracking, video monitoring, signals from MRI, and many more. Depending on the type of research you are doing, you can also synchronize with programs such as E-Prime or SuperLab.
The complete product line consists of hardware and software for life science research, with four main elements:
Data Acquisition Systems (DAQs), for example, BIOPAC MP160 or MP36R.
Signal amplifiers for wireless or wired data, like BioNomadix wireless amplifiers.
Electrodes and transducers to record and transmit data, such as the BIOPAC BioNomadix wireless transmitters, or the BioNomadix BioShirt.
Analysis software with automation and scoring tools, such as AcqKnowledge.
This is the full package you need to collect, process and analyze the data for physiology research. It is suitable for synchronizing multiple signals, including EEG, ECG, EDA, EMG, eye tracking, video monitoring, signals from MRI, and many more. Depending on the type of research you are doing, you can also synchronize with programs such as E-Prime or SuperLab.
High-quality, Easy-to-use Research System
BIOPAC is the best choice for physiology research data collection and analysis. Used by over 98% of the world’s top universities, we have over 30,000 scholarly references. BIOPAC has established expertise in the field of life science and offers a very competitive price.
BIOPAC is the best choice for physiology research data collection and analysis. Used by over 98% of the world’s top universities, we have over 30,000 scholarly references. BIOPAC has established expertise in the field of life science and offers a very competitive price.
Support and Customer Support
Our customer support is available to support you and to adjust the package to your research settings. When it comes to collecting real-time data for your studies, BIOPAC has the most cutting-edge technology built in a user-friendly system. With a few simple questions, our representatives can help you select the system that is right for you.
For more information on BIOPAC’s complete line of life science research systems, call 18056850066 or visit www.biopac.com.
Our customer support is available to support you and to adjust the package to your research settings. When it comes to collecting real-time data for your studies, BIOPAC has the most cutting-edge technology built in a user-friendly system. With a few simple questions, our representatives can help you select the system that is right for you.
For more information on BIOPAC’s complete line of life science research systems, call 18056850066 or visit www.biopac.com.
ECG Analysis of Putting Tournament
An electrocardiogram (ECG; a.k.a.
EKG) recording can be extremely useful for analysis of a variety of
physiological studies. When combined with automated ECG analysis software,
researchers can identify ECG intervals, assess heart rate variability (HRV),
classify heart beats, and much more. ECG analysis results can be used with other
parameters to perform a complete physiological examination. Analyzing changes in ECG rhythms can provide
valuable insight into stress, arousal, and exercise research. A wide
range of physiological studies incorporate ECG results, such as a recent one
performed measuring cognitive workloads of participants during a competitive
golf putting tournament. The researchers set about to compare whether kinematic
or psychological factors were more important for participant’s putting
performance. Since putting requires more delicacy and precision on the part of
the golfer, they hypothesized that psychological factors would be just as
important --if not more-- than kinematic factors. The participants were divided
into three groups, arranged by skill level, and given the CSAI-2 test, an exam
that scored the participants’ self-confidence in the competitive environment.
The groups then performed in 8 tournaments of putting 2.1m from the hole. The
researchers used a BIOPAC ECG module to record and analyze heart rate and HRV,
which they ranked as either high or low. They found that the winners of the
tournament had a lower HRV frequency, which was associated with a lower mental
workload. There were also big differences in self-confidence scores on the
CSAI-2 between the winners and losers of the groups (specifically of the highest
skill level group). The results indicate that participants with lower mental
stress performed better, meaning that psychological factors are important to
putting ability. Although more research needs to be done, the results seem to
indicate that psychological factors seem to be more important to a golfer’s
short game.
Noninvasive Cardiac Output | Data Acquisition
Noninvasive
Cardiac Output (NICO) measures can be determined by employing electrical
bioimpedance (EBI) measurement techniques. Electrical bioimpedance is the
characteristic impedance of a volume
of tissue and fluid. For Cardiac Output measures, the
relevant tissue includes the heart and the immediate surrounding volume of the
thorax, and the relevant fluid is blood.
The electrical
impedance of the thorax (Zt) can be thought of as composed of two impedance
types:
- The base impedance (Zo) corresponding to non-time varying tissues, such as muscle, bone and fat. Zo is measured when the pulsatile volume is minimal.
- The delta impedance (dZ) corresponding to time-varying fluid volume (blood).
Zt drops with
each pulsatile volume of blood ejected from the heart. dZ/dt is the magnitude
of the largest impedance change during systole.
Noninvasive
cardiac output amplifiers incorporate a precision high-frequency current
source, which injects a very small (400 microamp rms) current through the
measurement tissue volume defined by the placement of a set of current source
electrodes. A separate set of monitoring electrodes measures the voltage
developed across the tissue volume. Because the current is constant, the
voltage measured is proportional to the characteristics of the biological
impedance of the tissue volume.
BIOPAC data
acquisition hardware for recording real-time Noninvasive Cardiac Output
parameters include tethered amplifiers such as the NICO100C (or NICO100C-MRI
for fMRI environments), EBI100C, or SS31L, or the wireless BioNomadix BN-NICO.
Hardware
simultaneously measures impedance magnitude and phase, and may
incorporate an internal derivative function to output dZ/dt simultaneously with
Z; an AcqKnowledge calculation channel can also be used to determine
dZ/dt. The internal derivative function inverts the polarity of the dZ/dt
signal so that it displays a positive-going peak, coincident with negative
slopes indicated in Z, as per academic research convention.
Disposable
Ag/AgCl Paired Electrodes (EL500) are recommended for bioimpedance and cardiac
output studies. Paired electrodes provide fixed spacing between the dual
contacts and are pre-gelled with hypo-allergenic, wet liquid gel electrolyte
(10% chloride salt); the gel cavity is situated between electrode and skin
surfaces and helps reduce motion artifact.
The impact of
movement artifacts on recorded data is a significant methodological concern in
impedance cardiography; Ensemble Averaging tools in AcqKnowledge provide
an automated strategy to remove these artifacts. Watch a demo now!
Muscular Biofeedback | Surface EMG
Biofeedback
is
a form of self-regulation in which an individual is provided information in the
form of sensory feedback about a biological condition or function in order to
gain control over that biological function. Biofeedback is often used as a
therapeutic tool by which sports medicine/rehabilitation professionals,
neurophysiologists, psychophysiologists, and therapists can use
electrophysiological instrumentation to measure, process, and “feedback” the
recorded information to the participating athlete or subject. The feedback is
usually provided through auditory and/or visual means.
There
are many types of biofeedback modalities available. One of the most popular and
widely accepted modalities is surface
EMG biofeedback. EMG (electromyography) bioinstrumentation measures
muscle activity by recording electrochemical activity of a muscle occurring
during depolarization and recruitment of a skeletal muscle motor unit. This
modality is used for muscle
reeducation and control when
orthopedic injuries or surgeries have taken place, or when the peripheral
nervous system has been impaired. It is also used to promote muscle relaxation
to decrease muscle guarding, pain, stress, and anxiety.
A
simple muscular biofeedback experiment design might use surface EMG electrodes
placed over the Vastus Medialis and Vastus Lateralis muscles. Surface EMG
electrodes should be placed vertically (parallel to the muscle fibers), over the
muscle belly, or largest part of the muscle, and a ground electrode should also
be used. Surface EMG should be recorded in several trials, including a Baseline
without biofeedback (where the participant is asked to maximally relax, e.g.,
not contract), Maximal Contraction
without Biofeedback, and a variety of Maximal Contraction with Biofeedback, such as
visual stimulus or auditory stimulus. After recording, compare the
surface EMG recordings and use peak-peak and mean measurements to determine if
any significant change was detected between any of the variables.
Biofeedback
is considered advantageous, as it provides participants a chance to use their
visual and auditory senses to become more aware of how they are performing
during therapy or training, attempt to improve upon it, and immediately see the
improvement as it is occurring. Because participants can immediately note
improvements, they are “rewarded.” This reward will hopefully lead to larger
improvements and accomplishments.
AcqKnowledge Electrocardiogram(ECG) Routines
What is an ECG?
An ECG - or electrocardiogram – is a common test used to gauge heart health. It monitors the electrical activity of the heart, which can indicate problems related to heart rate and valve health. Other reasons an ECG may be performed are to:
- Check how the heart responds to exercise (as with a classic treadmill test)
- See if the walls of the heart chambers are hypertrophied
- Discover the cause of specific symptoms of heart disease
- An ECG calculates a wide range of valuable data valuable including:
- Heart Rate
- Heart Rhythm
- Evidence of previous heart attacks
- Possibility of coronary artery disease
- Signs of decreased oxygen to the heart
The main types of ECG are:
Cardiac stress test - this one is recorded while the subject is active, usually walking on a treadmill or riding on an exercise bike. The typical time for this test is 15-30 minutes.
Ambulatory - This ECG test is done using a transportable recording device, often called a data logger, that is worn for 24 hours or more, with the subject free to move around in a normal fashion. This type of test is typically used to study infrequent symptoms that might not show up in a resting ECG test. The subject is usually asked to keep track of his/her own symptoms in a journal of some kind, keeping track of the time of each symptom to be later compared to the results of the ECG test.
Resting - This is the most common ECG test and is taken while the subject is lying down for usually 5-10 minutes. Subjects are instructed to keep as still as possible to avoid other muscle activity interfering with the activity of the heart.
Some possible limitations of an ECG test include:
Some irregularity surfacing through the test are false positives, often times not having any medical importance after further assessment is done.
The test can also show up negative for subjects with some form of heart disease including diagnosed coronary artery disease.
BIOPAC's ECG data acquisition software
AcqKnowledge includes the following automated ECG routines, as well as numerous other automated analysis routines and transformation tools:
Locate Human ECG Complex Boundaries
Heart Rate Variability
Personalize your package with specialized amplifiers, leads, electrodes, and/or transducers. Have the ability to record the max of 16 channels of high-fidelity ECG and additional physiological data either wirelessly with BioNomadix or via standard wired amplifiers.
Contact BIOPAC today for more information.