Thomas Wireless AMEP System
NHP Semichronic 16 channel wireless recording system
Thomas Wireless AMEP System
NHP Semichronic 16 channel wireless recording system
The Thomas Adaptive MultiElectrode Positioning System (AMEP) is now available with a wireless recording system to be used with head unrestrained non-human primates. Together with the research groups of Professor Stefan Treue and Professor Alexander Gail at the German Primate Center in Goettingen, we have developed the AMEP system that consists of a reuseable recording chamber inset and a xyz-manipulator [1]. This device has some advantages in comparison to other multielectrode implant systems. The AMEP xyz-manipulator allows a bi-directional microelectrode movement in vertical direction with high mechanical precision and an electrode travel of app. 8mm (max. recording depth is 12mm from the dura mater).
The recording chamber inset uses 16 independent quartz glass insulated platinum-tungsten microelectrodes, which are well suited for chronic long term recordings. A good biocompatibility of our microelectrode technique reduces the risk of tissue damage and a gliosis around the electrode tip. The interelectrode spacing is 1.5mm.
The AMEP has been successfullly used for transdural extracellular recordings in the cerebral cortex of awake behaving rhesus monkeys. With an additional 16 channel telemetric system one can use the AMEP for extracellular recordings from head unrestraint non-human primates.
[1] E. Ferrea, L. Suriya-Arunroj, D. Hoehl, U. Thomas, A. Gail. Implantable computer-controlled adaptive multi-electrode positioning system (AMEP), Journal of Neurophysiology (2017).
Key features:
- 16 recording channels
- Wireless signal transmission between headstage and recording system
- Recording depth up to 12mm
- XYZ-robot for bidirectional electrode placement
- Electrode spacing is 1.5mm
- For smaller recording areas electrodes can be replaced with 4 tetrodes
- Implantable recording chamber is delivered with the system
- Chamber inset with integrated unity gain follower
- Battery powered headstage
Technical Data
Number of recording channels | 16 |
Electrode type | Quartz glass insulated platinum/tungsten |
Electrode diameter | 100µm fiber electrodes (with slide contact) |
Electrode spacing | 1.5mm (solution for smaller spacing on request) |
Electrode impedance | 1-2 MΩ (@1kHz sine wave, 5nA) |
Headstage gain (chamber inset) | 1 (Unity gain follower) |
Electrode positioning | bi-directional (up and down) |
Electrode travel distance | 8mm |
Recording depth | Up to 12mm |
Computer operating system | Microsoft Windows® 10 |
Data acquisiton on computer | 16 channels, 16bit, 25kHz/channel on all 16 ch. |
Recording Bandwidth | 1Hz…5kHz |
Signal transmission | Wireless |
Wireless operating distance | 5m |
Power supply | Li-Ion accumulator |
Ordering Information
Article number: AN001471
Features
The Wireless AMEP (WAMEP) can currently move 16 quartz-glass insulated single core microelectrodes in both directions (up and down) by using a software controlled xyz-robot. After the electrodes are placed to record extracellular activity, the robot is removed from the chamber inset. The headstage consists of the chamber inset in the recording chamber with the 16 channel electrode array, the 16 channel telemetry system and the battery power supply. The signal transmission between the headstage and the base station is wireless so that it can be used for semichronic recordings with head unrestrained non-human primates (NHP).
The block diagram below demonstrates the working principle of the device. The XYZ-robot and the cameras are only used for electrode positioning. They will be removed as soon as all electrodes are recording signals and only the headstage remains on the primates’ scull.
Each of the 16 microelectrodes can be moved independently from each other in its own guide tube with 8mm total electrode travel and a maximum electrode penetration depth of 12mm.
The rear end of the microelectrode is mechanically interfaced to the electrode hook of the computer-controlled motorized xyz-manipulator (robot). This xyz-manipulator allows it to actuate each of the 16 electrodes individually and to move electrodes in both directions of the z-axis.
The bottom of the chamber inset is sealed by a silicon sheet that prevents fluids from entering the electrode guide tubes and improves the mechanical stability of the electrode recording position. The metal-shielded chamber inset houses a 16 channel low-noise preamplifier which makes the system robust against EM-noise.
In summary, the WAMEP system is designed to fulfill the following specifications:
- Use of quartz glass insulated platinum/tungsten microelectrodes, which are very well suited for chronic recording applications.
- Use of a secure electromechanical connection between electrodes and preamplifier input to guarantee a low-noise transmission
- Good biomechanical compatibility of the microelectrodes, which reduces the risk of a gliosis around the electrode tip
- Small electrode spacing for high spatial resolution
- Electrical shield around the recording electrodes to avoid electrical noise pickup from the laboratory environment
- Possibility to reposition the electrodes individually with an axial µm-resolution in both directions by using a microprocessor controlled xyz-manipulator system
This AMEP system was developed by Thomas RECORDING in cooperation with the research group of Prof. Dr. Alexander Gail and Prof. Dr. Stefan Treue at the German Primate Center (Deutsches Primatenzentrum, DPZ) in Goettingen, Germany. This 5 year research project has been funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education & Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF; grant number: BMBF 01GQ0820).
Downloads
Publications
[1] E. Ferrea, L. Suriya-Arunroj, D. Hoehl, U. Thomas, A. Gail, Implantable computer-controlled adaptive multi-electrode positioning system (AMEP), Journal of Neurophysiology (2017).
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