title: Instrumentation to evaluate neural signal recording properties of micromachined microelectrodes inserted in invertebrate nerve.
abstract: The design and characterization of instrumentation for application in evaluating the neural signal recording properties of probe-type microelectrodes, micromachined from silicon, are reported. Key aspects include the close matching of gain and frequency response between channels (better than 1%), flexibility in signal conditioning options, the ability to operate with a wide range of (microelectrode) recording site dimensions (4 microm x 4 micrm to 50 microm x 50 microm), and hence impedances, and the facility to monitor and store instrumentation settings on computer along with the recorded signals. Noise levels ranged from 3.7 microV rms for a 50 microm site, to 11.7 microV rms for a microm site, measured in saline. Close matching between channels was required to enable comparisons between different sites and different probes to be made with confidence; however, the instrumentation could be readily applied to less demanding applications.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Banks
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Balachandran
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ewins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D002138:Calibration; D003201:Computers; D006110:Grasshoppers; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009482:Neurophysiology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012984:Software