Hardware
Hardware
BrainAccess EEG hardware is exclusively based on dry-contact electrodes.
The electrodes have been developed to be optimal in terms of size, signal quality and comfort. They feature 12 gold-plated spikes, each spike is spring-loaded allowing for the electrode to conform to the curvature of the head therefore increasing the comfort when compared to standard dry-contact electrodes. The back of the electrode is shielded to ensure the maximum isolation from external noise sources. For EEG measurements where there is no hair, gold-plated pad electrodes are used instead of spike electrodes for improved contact and comfort.
BrainAccess electroencephalographs are wireless, lightweight, battery-powered devices in order to make them truly portable devices that can be used in different environments. They feature multi-channel EEG inputs with common reference channel and also additional data inputs such as accelerometer. They offer active noise suppression and come with shielded mini cables to minimize the effects of the surrounding environment. Multiple electroencephalographs can be connected to the same computer or to the same computer network and synchronized for multi-user experiments and applications.
BrainAccess headwear offers usage flexibility. BrainAccess CAP is available in different sizes and with different number of electrodes. The CAP follows the standard 10-20 system with a large number of available mounting positions for electrodes. The integrated BrainAccess HALO EEG headband has fixed electrode positions but can adapt to most head sizes and shapes.
BrainAccess HALO
The BrainAccess HALO is a fully integrated EEG headband featuring dry contact electrodes and 4 channel EEG acquisition system with a common reference channel. The headband is semi-flexible and adjustable and can fit most of the head sizes.
Overview
Extremely portable
The device comes with a USB Bluetooth 4.2 adapter, which is used to communicate and stream data to computer from BrainAccess MIDI. If preferred, a different Bluetooth adapter such as an integrated Bluetooth adapter in a laptop may be used instead.
Highly adjustable
The front and back parts of the headband can slide forth and back adapting to different head sizes. Cushioning around electrodes allows for the electrodes to change direction and conform to the curvature of the head. Extra cushions that are removable from the side boxes are provided that increase band's stability on the head and may be more comfortable for some users.
Long operating times
The HALO is equipped with a high-capacity battery, which ensures long operation times and up to 8 hours of continuous data streaming before the need of charging.
Power button
Touch and hold a touch button for a couple of seconds to turn the device on/off. The blue LED will start breathing once the device is on.
Connection LED
After power up this LED goes into breathing mode. If a Bluetooth connection is established between a computer and the device it turns solid blue.
Charging port
The device's battery can be charged via micro-USB port using standard 5V chargers such as mobile phone chargers with micro-USB plug. The charger should be capable of providing at least 800 mA of current. Do not use the device when charging with chargers powered from grid electricity due to safety reasons and potentially 50/60 Hz noise affecting the signals. The device can be used when charging from a power bank though.
Power LED
It is a red-coloured LED that indicates the battery and charging status. If the power LED starts blinking, it indicates that the battery level is below <10\%. When the device is charging the LED starts breathing and turns solid red when fully charged.
Specifications
Connectivity | |
Type | Bluetooth 4.2 |
Range | up to 10m (using the provided Bluetooth adapter) |
EEG data | |
Number of channels | 4 with a common reference channe |
Sampling frequency | 250 Hz |
Input resolution | 24 bits |
Analog gain values | 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 |
Input voltage range | 4500 mV / gain value (w.r.t. reference channel) |
Accelerometer | |
Number of axis | 3 |
Sampling frequency | 50Hz (resampled to 250Hz in software) |
Range | +/-2g |
Resolution | 10 bits |
Battery | |
Type | Li-Po |
Capacity | 1500 mAh |
Operating time | up to 8 hours (continuous streaming, all channels turned on) |
Charging time | 2 hours |
Charger input | 5V 800 mA min (charger not included) |
Charger connector | micro-usb |
Mechanical | |
Mass | 210g |
Dimensions | 210x201x41 mm |
BrainAccess MINI
The BrainAccess MINI is a 8-channel electroencephalograph with a common reference channel.
Its compact size, Bluetooth connectivity and long battery life make it a truly portable device.
Overview
USB Bluetooth adapter
The device comes with a USB Bluetooth 4.2 adapter, which is used to communicate and stream data to the computer from BrainAccess MINI. If preferred, a different Bluetooth adapter such as an integrated Bluetooth adapter in a laptop may be used instead.
Power switch
Press and hold a push-button for a couple of seconds to turn the device on/off. Power LED will be lit when powered on.
Charging port
The device's battery can be charged via a micro-USB port using standard 5V chargers such as mobile phone chargers with a micro-USB plug. The charger should be capable of providing at least 800 mA of current. Do not use the device when charging with chargers powered from grid electricity due to safety reasons and potentially 50/60 Hz noise affecting the signals. The device can be used when charging from a power bank though.
Power LED
It is a red-colored LED that indicates when the device is powered on. If the power LED starts blinking, it indicates that the battery level is below <10% and needs charging soon.
Connection LED
It is a blue-colored LED that indicates when a Bluetooth connection is established between a computer and the device.
EEG inputs
These inputs should be connected to electrodes that measure EEG activity with respect to the reference electrode.
Reference input
An input that should be connected to a common reference electrode. Our BrainAccess kit setups is typically an electrode placed at the Fp1 location. The connection is denoted as 'R' on the device.
Bias input
An input that should be connected to a bias electrode. In BrainAccess Kit setups it is typically an electrode placed at the Fp1 location. The connection is denoted as 'B' on the device. It is a driven bias that which reduces the common mode noise such as noise coming from the grid electricity. The bias signal is derived from any of the EEG inputs which can be chosen in software. They are denoted as `bias feedback channels' in software. Use only channels/electrodes that have good quality signals for bias feedback.
Digital input
The device has an additional digital input that is sampled at the same rate as EEG signals and is treated as an additional input channel in software. It can be used for connecting external sensors or for synchronizing multiple BrainAccess MINI devices. The digital input is internally pulled high and is driven low when input contacts are closed. An external switch or open-collector/open-drain circuits can be used to close the digital input contacts and drive the digital signal low.
Accelerometer
Our EEG hardware device has an integrated 3-axis accelerometer. It can be used for example to record any body/head movements when it is attached to the EEG headwear. The accelerometer data comes as 3 additional input channels in the software.
Velcro tape attachment
A velcro tape can be found at the bottom of the device that can be used to attach it to the BrainAccess CAP.
Specifications
Specifications of BrainAccess MINI electroencephalograph.
Connectivity | |
Type | Bluetooth 4.2 |
Range | up to 10m (using the provided Bluetooth adapter) |
EEG Input Channels | |
Number of channels | 8 + common reference channel |
Sampling frequency | 250 Hz |
Input resolution | 24 bits |
Analog gain values | 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 |
Input voltage range | 4500 mV / gain value (w.r.t. reference channel) |
Input connector | Ultra-mini RF coaxial connector |
Digital Input Channel | |
Type | internally pulled-up, driven low by closing the input contacts |
Sampling frequency | 250Hz |
Connector | JST right-angle, 2 mm pitch, cable with a plug also provided |
Accelerometer | |
Number of axis | 3 |
Sampling frequency | 50Hz (resampled to 250Hz in software) |
Range | +/-2g |
Resolution | 10 bits |
Battery | |
Type | Li-Po |
Capacity | 1500 mAh |
Operating time | up to 6 hours (continuous streaming, all channels turned on) |
Charging time | 2 hours |
Charger input | 5V 800 mA min (charger not included) |
Charger connector | micro-usb |
Mechanical | |
Mass | 70g |
Dimensions | 68x50x21 mm |
BrainAccess MIDI
BrainAccess MIDI is a 16 channel electroencephalograph with a common reference channel. It is more powerful than MINI with extra EEG channels and longer battery life.
Overview
USB Bluetooth adapter
The device comes with a USB Bluetooth 4.2 adapter, which is used to communicate and stream data to computer from BrainAccess MIDI. If preferred, a different Bluetooth adapter such as an integrated Bluetooth adapter in a laptop may be used instead.
Power switch
Press and hold a push button for a couple of seconds to turn the device on/off. Power LED will be lit when powered on.
Charging port
Our EEG hardware device's battery can be charged via micro-USB port using standard 5V chargers such as mobile phone chargers with micro-USB plug. The charger should be capable of providing at least 800 mA of current. Do not use the device when charging with chargers powered from grid electricity due to safety reasons and potentially 50/60 Hz noise affecting the signals. The device can be used when charging from a power bank though.
Power LED
It is a red-coloured LED that indicates when the device is powered on. If the power LED starts blinking, it indicates that the battery level is below <10\% and needs charging soon.
Connection LED
It is a blue-coloured LED that indicates when a Bluetooth connection is established between a computer and the device.
EEG inputs
These inputs should be connected to electrodes that measure EEG activity with respect to the reference electrode.
Input connector-converter
An input connector-converter has input connections for all the cables coming from each electrode on one end and a single socket connection to the MIDI on the other end. This allows, for example, disconnecting MIDI quickly from an EEG cap and connecting to another EEG cap with a different setup.
Reference input
An input that should be connected to a common reference electrode. In BrainAccess Kit setups it is typically an electrode placed at Fp1 location. The connection is denoted as 'R' on the device.
Bias input
An input that should be connected to a bias electrode. In BrainAccess Kit setups it is typically an electrode placed at Fp2 location. The connection is denoted as 'B' on the device. It is a driven bias which reduces the common mode noise such as noise coming from the grid electricity. The bias signal is derived from any of the EEG inputs which can be chosen in software. They are denoted as `bias feedback channels' in software. Use only channels/electrodes that have good quality signals for bias feedback.
Digital input
The device has an additional digital input that is sampled at the same rate as EEG signals and is treated as an additional input channel in software. It can be used for connecting external sensors or for synchronizing multiple BrainAccess MIDI devices. The digital input is internally-pulled high and is driven low when input contacts are closed. An external switch or open-collector/open-drain circuits can be used to close the digital input contacts and drive the digital signal low.
Accelerometer
The device has an integrated 3-axis accelerometer. It can be used for example to record any body/head movements when it is attached to the EEG hardware. The accelerometer data comes as 3 additional input channels in software.
Velcro tape attachment
A velcro tape can be found at the bottom of the device that can be used to attach it to the BrainAccess CAP.
Specifications
Specifications of BrainAccess MIDI electroencephalograph.
Connectivity | |
Type | Bluetooth 4.2 |
Range | up to 10m (using the provided Bluetooth adapter) |
EEG Input Channels | |
Number of channels | 16 + common reference channel |
Sampling frequency | 250 Hz |
Input resolution | 24 bits |
Analog gain values | 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 |
Input voltage range | 4500 mV / gain value (w.r.t. reference channel) |
Input connector | Ultra-mini RF coaxial connector |
Digital Input Channel | |
Type | internally pulled-up, driven low by closing the input contacts |
Sampling frequency | 250Hz |
Connector | JST right-angle, 2 mm pitch, cable with a plug also provided |
Accelerometer | |
Number of axis | 3 |
Sampling frequency | 50Hz (resampled to 250Hz in software) |
Range | +/-2g |
Resolution | 10 bits |
Battery | |
Type | Li-Po |
Capacity | 2200 mAh |
Operating time | up to 9 hours (continuous streaming, all channels turned on) |
Charging time | 3 hours |
Charger input | 5V 800 mA min (charger not included) |
Charger connector | micro-usb |
Mechanical | |
Mass | 85g |
Dimensions | 92x50x23 mm |
BrainAccess CAP
The BrainAccess CAP is a versatile EEG cap that is available in different sizes and comes with dry-contact, shape-conforming gold electrodes.
The BrainAccess EEG CAP is designed to work with BrainAccess electroencephalographs and can be purchased as part of BrainAccess kits.
3 different sizes. The cap is available in 3 different sizes: L, M, S to fit different adult head sizes and shapes.
Overview of our EEG Hardware
Number of electrodes
The total number of the electrodes provided with the cap varies depending on the purchased kit, the BrainAccess Standard Kit has 8 spike electrodes and 2 pad electrodes.
Dry-contact electrodes
The cap comes with dry-contact electrodes. The electrodes feature spring-loaded spikes that enable the electrode to conform to the curvature of the head resulting in more comfortable wear when compared to standard dry-contact electrodes.
Dry-contact pad electrodes
Electrodes with golden pads are provided for the positions without hair, i.e. forehead.
37 electrode positions
The cap provides 37 positions where the electrodes can be placed using an easy-to-use clipping mechanism. The positions follow the standard 10-20 system.
Easy electrode placement
It is easy to change the positions of the electrodes on the cap using the standard clipping mechanism.
Holes for cables
Additional holes are provided for the cables to ensure the tidiness of the setup.
Ultra small cables
The CAP is equipped with ultra-miniature coaxial cables that not only ensure shielding from the noise but are also thin and flexible to ensure comfort. The cables can be directly plugged into the BrainAccess electroencephalographs.
Machine washable
For hygienic purposes, the cap can be machine washed using a delicate wash cycle. Make sure to remove the electrodes and cables from the cap before washing. The electrodes can be cleaned with standard disinfectant liquids/sprays and non-abrasive wipes.
Velcro tape attachment
The cap features a piece of velcro tape on the backside of the cap. BrainAccess electroencephalograph should be attached there.
Specifications
Specifications of BrainAccess CAP.
Size | L (54-59 cm) |
M (50-55 cm) | |
S (48-52 cm) | |
Colour | black |
Number of holes for electrode attachments | 37 |
Number of holes for cables | 18 |
Electrodes | |
Type | dry-contact |
Material | gold-plated |
Diameter | 19.5 mm |
Number of spikes | 12 x spring-loaded |
Number of pads (forehead) | 5 x 6mm diameter |
Input connector | ultra-mini RF coaxial connector |
Cables | |
Type | Ultra miniature RF coaxial |
Length | different lengths provided for different positions |