Update to the R-Net:
High-density montage including face and neck electrodes
by Dr. Christina Florence Lavallée
Strategic Product Manager (Brain Products)
The latest update to our saltwater sponge-based electrode system includes face and neck electrodes in a high-density, 160 channel montage (ready for delivery in January 2021).
Since we introduced the R-Net for the very first time at SfN 2017, we’ve been receiving positive feedback and requests to extend the use of the R-Net for different application fields. Until now, these updates have included infant and children sizes, as well as an fMRI version, which will be available soon.
In order to extend this product line even further, the latest update to our saltwater sponge-based electrode system includes face and neck electrodes in a high-density montage with 160 channels. The R-Net 160 for actiCHamp Plus offers you the same rapid and gel-free application as the original version, with the added benefit of recording EEG from a larger area, as well as being able to record activity from the face and neck.
These strategically placed electrodes allow you to record EOG from electrodes directly built into the net and two inferiorly placed rows of electrodes may also be used to pick up other physiological signals (i.e. myogenic activity in the neck area). Such activity often spreads across the scalp electrodes due to volume conduction. The presence of a reference waveform acquired from these additional electrodes facilitates the distinction of neural vs electromyogenic activity. This enhances the accuracy of your artifact removal techniques.
R-Net 160ch with actiCHamp Plus.
This newest update to the R-Net allows you a high-density EEG recording, while exploiting the full capabilities of your actiCHamp Plus amplifier. The R-Net provides the fastest preparation time out of all our various electrode systems and has been favoured in the research community when preparation time is precious (e.g. with infants, sensitive populations etc).
Shorter participant preparation times have become increasingly relevant now as hygiene and safety standards must be carefully considered given the current pandemic. This incredibly quick preparation time consequently reduces the amount of time the EEG technician and the participant remain in close contact. For a trained user, this takes about 3 minutes, even when including the new layout with the added facial electrodes. This high-density montage follows an extension of the 10-10 positioning system for the two additional inferiorly placed rows of electrodes (Heine et al., 2019); thereby, providing coverage of more inferior positions around the lower temporal, sub-inion and upper neck regions. In addition to this, three electrodes placed on each cheek bilaterally allow facial coverage.
The handling and participant preparation follow the same principles as the original R-Net and maintain the same level of ease when adjusting the fit and replacing sponges.
The R-Net 160 (ready for delivery in January 2021) is available in small children/adolescent (49cm) up to extra-large adult sizes (61cm).
Reference
Heine, W.H., Dobrota, M., Schomer, D., Wigton, R., & Herman, S. (2019).
High-Density Adaptive Ten Ten: Proposal for Electrode Nomenclature for High-Density EEG.
Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, 00(00): 1-8