The Past, Present, and Future of the EEG Amplifier

The origin of Electroencephalography (EEG) begins in 1875 with a medical student named Richard Caton. Working under Dr. Ferrier, Caton first conducted experiments on rabbits and monkeys in an attempt to measure the occurrence of electrical currents in the brain (Spillane). With just two electrodes touching the surface of the skull, Caton identified that electrical currents could be successfully recorded in response to sensory stimulation. His more notable conclusion, however, was that these currents appeared to relate to the brain’s function. The British Medical Journal published his findings in1875.

German physiologist and psychologist Hans Berger published the first recording of EEG activity in humans in 1924. Berger is also credited with the invention of the first Electroencephalogram (EEG) device—one of the most notable advancements in the field of neurology.

To this day, the EEG Amplifier plays a vital role in the field of education and research. The EEG amplifier has served many different uses in a variety of different fields, and even with more recent advancements in high-tech CT and MRI machines, there are still several functions of the EEG amplifier that cannot be reproduced by newer technologies. Benefits of the EEG amplifier over alternative products are numerous: they are infinitely more mobile fMRI machines, they do not expose their subjects to powerful magnetic fields, they are silent (making auditory experiments much more practical), they offer higher temporal resolution, they are not nearly as sensitive to movement, and they do not trigger claustrophobia.

Another notable benefit of the EEG Amplifier for today’s researchers and educators is the inherent availability of the product. A modern EEG Amplifier can be purchased from reputable sources for a fraction of the price of alternative technologies. BIOPAC offers an EEG Amplifier system that combines data acquisition hardware and software to allow researchers and educators to perform unipolar and bipolar measurements. Output can be switched between normal EEG output and Alpha wave detection, and software can then automatically filter the raw EEG signals for Alpha, Beta, Theta, and Gamma wave activity, providing a full frequency analysis of the data.

While this tried-and-true technology is over 85 years old, researchers are finding that its potential applications are nearly limitless. EEG devices are being used by researchers in studies allowing subjects to interact with computers just by using their brains. One Australian company even claims to have developed a product based on EEG technology that allows individuals to play video games with a headset that reacts solely to their mental cues. The process of EEG amplification has been, and will continue to be, one of the most fascinating and intriguing fields of study we have ever seen. This science continues to bridge the gap between the practical and the unbelievable.

Haas, L.F. “Hans Berger (1873-1941), Richard Caton (1842-1926), and Electroencephalography.” Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 1974.

Spillane, J.D. “A Memorable Decade in the History of Neurology 1874-88-II.” British Medical Journal, 1974, 4,757-759.