BEATS: An Open-Source, High-Precision, Multi-Channel EEG Acquisition Tool System

• Published in: IEEE transactions on biomedical circuits and systems Vol. 16; no. 6; pp. 1287 - 1298
• Main Authors: Zou, Bing, Zheng, Yubo, Shen, Mu, Luo, Yingying, Li, Lei, Zhang, Lin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01.12.2022; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Acquisition; Brain; brain-computer interface; Computer applications; EEG; Electrodes; electroencephalogram; Electroencephalography; Hardware; Human-computer interface; Implants; Microprocessors; Open source software; open-source; rapid prototyping; Sampling; Software; Stability analysis; Synchronization; Telecommunications; Voltage control
• ISSN: 1932-4545; 1940-9990
• DOI: 10.1109/TBCAS.2022.3230500

Stable and accurate electroencephalogram (EEG) signal acquisition is fundamental in non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. Commonly used EEG acquisition systems' hardware and software are usually closed-source. Its inability to flexible expansion and secondary development is a major obstacle to real-time BCI research. This paper presents the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications EEG Acquisition Tool System named BEATS. It implements a comprehensive system from hardware to software, composed of the analog front end, microprocessor, and software platform. BEATS is capable of collecting 32-channel EEG signals at a guaranteed sampling rate of 4 kHz with wireless transmission. Compared to state-of-the-art systems used in many EEG fields, it displays a better sampling rate. Using techniques including direct memory access, first in first out, and timer, the precision and stability of the acquisition are ensured at the microsecond level. An evaluation is conducted during 24 hours of continuous acquisitions. There are no packet losses and the average maximum delay is only 0.07 s/h. Moreover, as an open-source system, BEATS provides detailed design files, and adopts a plug-in structure and easy-to-access materials, which makes it can be quickly reproduced.