HIAMP NIRx

The g.HIamp NIRX system allows for the simultaneous recording of high-quality EEG and fNIRS signals. This offers the significant advantage of acquiring and analyzing both signals concurrently during an experiment. With g.HIsys Professional, the data can be viewed, recorded, and processed in real time, while g.BSanalyze enables post-experiment data analysis.

The g.HIamp NIRX features 256 input channels for EEG acquisition and 16 detectors with 16 sources for fNIRS acquisition. All data is streamed in real time into g.HIsys, where data acquisition, feature extraction, and classification are performed. The active EEG electrodes (g.SCARABEO) and the fNIRS optodes are assembled in the g.GAMMAcap, which can be configured with 8, 16, 32, or 64 EEG channels and 32 optode holders.

fNIRS and EEG cables are secured to the back of the g.GAMMAcap using Velcro straps and are connected directly to the NIRSport2 and g.HIamp. Both EEG and fNIRS data are transmitted to the same computer, where data streams are synchronized using precision triggers or merged into a single synchronized dataset via g.HIsys Professional. The data is acquired at the same sampling frequency, ensuring that real-time and post-processing are as straightforward as possible.

Why are many EEG and fNIRS channels important?

EEG and fNIRS with many channels and perfect synchronization are critical in neurotechnology and brain-computer interface (BCI) research for several reasons:

1. Enhanced Spatial and Temporal Resolution: Multiple channels enable comprehensive brain coverage, capturing more detailed spatial information across regions. Perfect synchronization of EEG and fNIRS improves the temporal precision of these signals, allowing researchers to analyze dynamic brain activity accurately and in real-time.
2. Better Signal Interpretation: EEG captures electrical activity directly, while fNIRS measures hemodynamic responses (blood oxygenation changes) related to neural activation. Synchronizing these modalities helps cross-validate findings and enables richer insights into both the fast electrical activity and the slower vascular responses, providing a fuller understanding of brain functions.
3. Understanding Brain-Behavior Relationships: Synchronizing EEG and fNIRS allows researchers to explore how brain activity relates to specific tasks, stimuli, or behaviors with greater precision, which is especially beneficial in BCI and neurofeedback studies where real-time feedback and interpretation are necessary.
4. Increased Robustness of Findings: Simultaneous EEG and fNIRS data can compensate for each other’s weaknesses. For example, fNIRS can detect activity in deeper cortical regions that EEG cannot capture as well, and EEG provides real-time data that complements the slower response time of fNIRS.
5. Applications in Clinical Research and Diagnostics: Accurate synchronization and multiple channels are vital for diagnosing and treating neurological conditions. It enables researchers to pinpoint abnormal neural activity and its hemodynamic counterpart, supporting more precise diagnostics and individualized treatment plans.
6. Improving BCI Performance: For BCI applications, high-channel, synchronized EEG-fNIRS setups improve the system’s accuracy and response time, critical for real-time interfaces in rehabilitation, communication devices, and other neurotechnology applications.

To read more about neuroscience experiments with g.tec technology, please visit our Frontiers profile.