BIOPOTENTIAL

MEASUREMENTS

BIOPOTENTIAL
An electric potential that is measured between
points in living cells, tissues, and organisms,
and which accompanies all biochemical
processes.

Also describes the transfer of information

between and within cells

electrode

ELECTRODE
A
conductor,notnecessarilymetallic,throughwhichacurre
nt
entersorleavesanonmetallicmedium,asanelectrolyticc
ell.
It to act as a transducer between the ionic transport of
the nerve and the electron flow in copper wire.

ELECTRODE
Classified as

NONINVASIVE (skin surface)

INVASIVE (microelectronics or wire electrodes)

ELECTROLYTE/METAL ELECTRODE
INTERFACE
In order to allow the current flow between the
electrolyte,which has no free electrons, and the
electrode, which has no free cations or anions, a
chemical reaction has to occur at the interface

ECG ELECTRODES

TYPES OF NONINVASIVE
BIOPOTENTIAL ELECTRODES
Disposable Snap-type Ag/AgCl Electrode
Flexible Mylar Electrode or Sintered Ag/AgCl electrode

DISPOSABLE SNAP-TYPE
AG/AGCL ELECTRODE
the most common type of
biopotential electrode

a practical electrode that

approaches the
characteristics of a perfectly
nonpolarizable electrode

attached to the patients

skin and can be easily
removed

easily fabricated in the

laboratory

A typical surface Ag/AgCl electrode

FLEXIBLE MYLAR
ELECTRODE OR SINTERED
AG/AGCL ELECTRODE

consists of an Ag lead wire

surrounded by a sintered
Ag/AgCl cylinder

formed by placing the cleaned

lead wire in a die that is then
filled with a mixture of
powdered Ag and AgCl

greater endurance than the

electrolytically deposited AgCl

electrodes, and they are best
applied when repeated usage is
necessary

TYPE OF INVASIVE
BIOPOTENTIAL ELECTRODES
Calomel Electrode
Esophageal Electrodes
Electrodes Embedded Into a Tracheal Tube

CALOMEL
ELECTRODE

perfectly

nonpolarizable electrode

works in the same way

like Ag/AgCl

the electrode is

mercury coated with

calomel (Hg2Cl2)

ESOPHAGEAL
ELECTRODES
are incorporated into
an oesophageal
stethoscope and
temperature probe

positioned near the

posterior aspect of
the left ventricle

found to be useful in
detecting atrial
arrhythmias

ELECTRODES
EMBEDDED INTO A
TRACHEAL TUBE

two electrodes

embedded into a
tracheal tube

used in Tracheal ECG

useful in diagnosing
atrial arrhythmias
especially in children

EMG ELECTRODES

ELECTROMYOGRAPHY (EMG) IS A TECHNIQUE FOR EVALUATING AND

RECORDING THE ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY PRODUCED BY SKELETAL MUSCLES.
EMG
IS
PERFORMED
USING
AN
INSTRUMENT
CALLED
AN
ELECTROMYOGRAPH, TO PRODUCE A RECORD CALLED ANELECTROMYOGRAM.

An electromyograph detects
the
electrical
potential
generated by muscle cells
when
these
cells
are
electrically or neurologically
activated. The signals can be
analyzed to detect medical
abnormalities,
activation
level, or recruitment order or
to analyze the biomechanics
of
human
or
animal
movement.

2 KINDS OF EMG
INTRAMUSCULAR (NEEDLE
SURFACE EMG

AND FINE-WIRE) EMG

SURFACE EMG
A SURFACE ELECTRODE
MAY
BE
USED
TO
MONITOR THE GENERAL
PICTURE
OF
MUSCLE
ACTIVATION,
AS
OPPOSED
TO
THE
ACTIVITY OF ONLY A
FEW
FIBERS
AS
OBSERVED
USING
AN
INTRAMUSCULAR
EMG.
THIS
TECHNIQUE
IS
USED IN A NUMBER OF
SETTINGS; FOR EXAMPLE,
IN THE PHYSIOTHERAPY
CLINIC,
MUSCLE
ACTIVATION
IS
MONITORED
USING
SURFACE
EMG
AND
PATIENTS
HAVE
AN
AUDITORY OR VISUAL
STIMULUS TO HELP THEM
KNOW WHEN THEY ARE
ACTIVATING
THE
MUSCLE.

INTRAMUSCULAR EMG

TYPES OF EMG NEEDLE ELECTRODES:

SIMPLE NEEDLE ELECTRODES

THE SIMPLE NEEDLE ELECTRODE CONSISTS OF A

SINGLE METAL NEEDLE INSULATED ALL OVER EXCEPT
AT THE VERY TIP. WITH THIS ELECTRODE A SEPARATE
NEEDLE IS NEEDED AS A GROUND OR REFERENCE
ELECTRODE.
SINGLE CONCENTRIC ELECTRODES
SINGLE CONCENTRIC ELECTRODES CONSIST OF
AN OUTER HOLLOW METAL NEEDLE THROUGH WHICH
HAS BEEN INSERTED A WIRE THAT IS BARE ONLY AT
THE TIP. THE OUTER NEEDLE IS BARE AND SERVES AS
A GROUND OR REFERENCE ELECTRODE.
DOUBLE CONCENTRIC (BIPOLAR) ELECTRODE
THE DOUBLE CONCENTRIC (BIPOLAR) ELECTRODE
IS
SIMILAR
TO
THE
SINGLE
CONCENTRIC
ELECTRODES EXCEPT THAT THERE ARE TWO
RECORDING WIRES IN THE CENTER OF THE OUTER
SHELL.

ELECTRODE AND AMPLIFIER

DESIGN
Amplitudes of the EMG signal :
Surface EMG electrodes - maximum amplitude of 5 mV peak-to-peak
Indwelling electrodes amplitude of up to 10 mV
Single m.a.p. electrodes amplitude of 100 V
Noise level of the amplifier is the amplitude of the higher frequency
random signal on the output of the amplifier when the electrodes are
shorten together.

Noise level of the amplifier should not exceed 50 V, (preferably 20V).

EEG

ELECTRODES

MOST COMMONLY USED ELECTRODES:

Cup Electrodes
Subdermal Needle Electrodes

CUP ELECTRODES
Made of platinum or tin
Approximately 5-10 mm in
diameter

Filled with a conducting

electrolyte gel

Can be attached to scalp

with an adhesive tape

SUBDERMAL ELECTRODES
Basically fine platinum

or stainless-steel
needle electrodes

About 10 mm long by .5

mm wide

Inserted under the

skin

BIOPOTENTIAL
MEASUREMENTS
MICROELECTRODES

RECAP: ELECTRODES
Electrodes couple ionic potentials generated inside the body to an electronic instrument.
Biopotential electrodes are classified either as noninvasive or invasive.

MICROELECTRODES are

Use
s
potential recording

current injection

introduction into
the cell of ion
selective resins for
measuring potential
or determining the
free concentration
of cytosolic
constituents.

Biopotential electrodes with ultrafine tapered tip that

can be inserted into individual biological cells.
Important in recording action potentials from single
cells and are commonly used in neurophysiological
studies.
The tip must be small with respect to the biological
cell to avoid cell damage at the same time sufficiently
strong to penetrate the cell wall

THREE TYPICAL TYPES

Glass Micropipettes
Metal Mircoelectrodes
Solid-state Microprobes

I. GLASS MICROPIPETTES

A Photo of a Hollow Glass Capillary

Tube

I. GLASS MICROPIPETTES
Heating

Hollow glass capillary tube (1mm

diameter) is heated and softened and
quickly pulled apart

Electrode

Filling of
solution

A closed electrical circuit is

being established between
tAg/AgCl wire inside the
microelectrode
and
the
biological cell

2 similar electrodes produced

The larger end of the glass tube is

filled with 3M KCL electrolyte solution

Insert of
Ag/AgCl

Ag/AgCl wire is inserted to provide electrical

contact with the electrolyte solution (ex
cytoplasm of cell)

Ionic
Current
Flwo

Ionic Current flow through the fluid injection

at the tip of the microelectrode.

II METAL MICROELECTRODES

Widely used in neuroscience research

and in neuro-stimulation applications

Made from small-diameter strong

metal wire (tungsten, stainless steel)

II METAL MICROELECTRODES

The tip of this microelectrode is usually sharpened

down to a diameter of a few micrometers by an
electrochemical
etching
process.
The wire is then insulted up to its tip.

II METAL MICROELECTRODES
Advantages:
Reduced tissue displacement and trauma, higher
stimulation specificity
Disadvantages:
There is a challenge in obtaining the high current
densities required by the small tip size while avoiding
the critical values for the onset of microelectrode
degradation.
Material, frequency and geometric parameters and size
crucially affect suitability for specific neuro-stimulation
applications

III SOLID STATE MICROPROBES

For multichannel recordings of biopotentials or for electrical stimulation

Of neurons in the brain or spinal cord
The probe consists of a precisely mircomachined silicon
substrate with four exposed recording sites
Advantage of the fabrication technique:
The ability to mass produce very small and high sophisticated microsensors

MANIPULATING CELL MEMBRANE

POTENTIALS
Experimental protocols often require the manipulation
of membrane potential (for example, to test passive
membrane properties such as input resistance by
passing
current into the cell). With two MEs in the same cell, one
electrode can be dedicated to voltage recording, the
other to current injection.

To compensate for the current loss across the capacitance to ground when E
is changing with time (CtotdE/dt) the gain of amplifier A is adjusted so that
Cf (A-1)=Ctot. In this way current is supplied to the input of the amplifier,
equal and opposite to the loss through Ctot.

Group Members:

Grio, Federico
Honor, Amethyst
Imperial, Cyndrick
Lacadin,a Kevin Roe H.
Longhas, Princess Joy
Meoza, Essale Hymn