A radio-telemetry system with a shape memory alloy microelectrode for neural recording of freely moving insects

• Published in: IEEE transactions on biomedical engineering Vol. 51; no. 1; pp. 133 - 137
• Main Authors: Takeuchi, S., Shimoyama, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01.01.2004; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Alloys; Animals; Attenuation; Cockroaches - physiology; Electromyography - instrumentation; Electromyography - methods; Electronics - instrumentation; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Feasibility Studies; Frequency modulation; Insecta - physiology; Insects; Instruments; Locomotion - physiology; Microelectrodes; Miniaturization - methods; Monitoring, Ambulatory - instrumentation; Monitoring, Ambulatory - methods; Neurons - physiology; Radio frequency; Shape memory alloys; Signal to noise ratio; Telemetry; Telemetry - instrumentation; Telemetry - methods
• ISSN: 0018-9294; 1558-2531
• DOI: 10.1109/TBME.2003.820310

A radio frequency (RF) telemetry system with a shape memory alloy microelectrode was designed and fabricated. The total size and weight are 15 mm /spl times/8 mm and 0.1 g, respectively. Since the telemeter is small and light enough to be loaded on a small animal such as an insect, the system can be used for the neural recording of a freely moving insect. The RF-telemeter can transmit signals by frequency modulation transmission at 80-90 MHz. The transmitted signals can be received up to about 16 meters away from the telemeter with a high signal-to-noise ratio. The neural activity can be detected without attenuation by using an instrumentation amplifier with its input impedance set to 2 M/spl Omega/ at 1kHz. The telemeter was loaded on a cockroach and the neural activity during a free-walk was successfully measured through this telemetry system.