A lightweight, wireless Bluetooth-low-energy neuronal recording system for mice

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Vol. 331; p. 129423
• Main Authors: Idogawa, Shinnosuke, Yamashita, Koji, Sanda, Rioki, Numano, Rika, Koida, Kowa, Kawano, Takeshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 15.03.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; Bluetooth; Bluetooth low energy; Cables; Lightweight; Mouse devices; Mouse neuronal recording; Neurosciences; Power spectral density; Recording; Signal quality; Signal to noise ratio; Lightweight; Bluetooth low energy; Mouse neuronal recording
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2020.129423

•A low-cost Bluetooth–based wireless neuronal recording system was fabricated.•The wireless system weighted <3.9 g with the battery and measured 15 × 15 × 12 mm3.•In vivo acute and chronic recordings using mice confirm the recording capabilities.•The wireless system improves the recording quality compared to wired recording. Electrophysiological recording, which has made significant contributions to the field of neuroscience, can be improved in terms of signal quality, invasiveness, and use of cables. Although wireless recording can meet these requirements, conventional wireless systems are relatively heavy and bulky for use in small animals such as mice. This study developed a low-cost Bluetooth low-energy (BLE)-based wireless neuronal recording system weighing <3.9 g and measuring 15 × 15 × 12 mm3, with easy assembly, good versatility, and high signal quality for recordings. Both acute and chronic in vivo recordings of mice confirm the wireless recording capabilities of the system, with improvements in terms of the power spectral density (PSD) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared with wired recording. Because of its low weight and compactness, the BLE-based wireless neuronal recording system can be used not only in mice but also in other animals, such as rats and monkeys, thus expanding the application of electrophysiological recordings in neuroscience.