Equipment

EEG recording device – Muse: the brain sensing headband
The Muse headband by InteraXon is a consumer product marketed as a brain training device designed to reduce stress and help achieve deeper levels of calm. There are two sensors on the forehead and two on the ears on either side of the head. Three additional reference sensors are located at the front of the headband. An onboard processor in the device decomposes the four EEG signals (left back, left front, right front and right back) into their respective delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma frequency bands .

The device collects data at 220 samples per second and connects wirelessly via Bluetooth to a mobile device or computer. Software is available for recording the data, including the raw EEG signal, and absolute and relative frequency band power values. In addition, the device detects eye blinks, jaw clenches and motion along xyz axes using a built-in accelerometer. Eye blink and jaw clench detection is especially useful for the user to indicate start and end times to various experiences.

The native file format for the Muse (.muse) can be converted to the comma delimited (.CSV) format using the Muse Player application.

 

Vernier LabQuest data recorder	Vernier Respiration Monitor Belt
Gas pressure sensor used with respiration monitor	Electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor

ECG and respiration recording device – Vernier LabQuest data recorder
The Vernier LabQuest data recorder is designed for school science classroom use and works with variety of different sensor devices. For this investigation we used a respiration belt monitor—an inflatable belt that can be securing around the chest with Velcro straps. Attached to a gas pressure sensor, the respiration monitor logs inhalations and exhalations.

Another probe, a 3-lead ECG sensor enables recording of electrocardiogram signal from the heart. One electrode is connected to the inside of each elbow and a reference electrode is attached to the right wrist. The data collection rate is adjustable; generally the sampling rate was matched to that of the Muse headband, 220 Hz.

Data in the native file format for the LabQuest (.cmbl) can be exported as tab-delimited text files (.TXT), making them available for further processing.

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