Re: Neurofeedback device for home use. Neurobit Lite review request

[Guest guest]

Dear Pete and Listmates,

As a designer and manufacturer of Neurobit Lite I won't express

opinions on our equipment here, of course, nor complete a list of

important product features. I would only like to clarify a few

technical points you touched on in your post, which you were not sure.

> I can't tell from looking at the electrodes,

> but usually the ones sent with a unit like this

> are very cheap and don't last long before they

> start to lose their plating. You will probably

> need to buy new electrodes very soon.

The Neurobit Lite set contains pure silver electrodes. They are very

durable and can be used even for years with proper handling - in

contrast to silver chloride or gold plated electrodes (which can be a

source of many problems for home users after some time).

> The Neurobit has a bandwidth to 100 Hz, but

> what you would ever use it for is beyond me.

One of possible applications of this extended bandwidth is the

training (or only monitoring) of gamma waves, which, as known, do not

only occupy a band near 40 Hz, but can spread to much higher

frequencies. Although it's not common training so far, it's

interesting enough to take it into account.

> Neurobit doesn't mention its bit rate or baud

> (the speeds at which signals are sent to the computer).

Bit rate is 115 kbps by default (the value specified among technical

data: http://www.neurobitsystems.com/neurobitlite-data.pdf).

> They tell you that you don't need to prep sites

> before putting on electrodes, which normally

> would mean that your electrode impedance (the

> resistance to flow of electrical information

> between the scalp and the electrode) would be

> very high, so I'm not sure how the impedance

> measure would work.

Please note that high contact impedance without skin preparation

using abrasive is not a feature of an equipment. The feature of a

device is rather its range of impedance tolerance. Many EEG devices

practically cannot work without application of abrasive. Neurobit

Lite can.

And still nothing stand on the way to use abrasive with Neurobit

Lite, e.g. for research, and get even better signal.

Another issue discussed some time ago in Yahoo biofeedback group, and

maybe also here: keeping the old 5 kOhm standard of contact impedance

does not seem necessary with quality modern amplifiers (at least for

typical trainings).

Marcin

> >

> > Hi,

> >

> > I'm a rookie here and to neurofeedback training too. Can anyone

review

> > Neurobit Lite device (see for details here -

> > http://www.neurobitsystems.com/)OR advise alternative equipement

for

> > home usage. I did some research and most of devices on e-shops

are for

> > clinic usage. I'm looking forward to hear your feedback-it's good

to

> > know that you will never walk alone.

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

> > Laventile

> >

---

Marcin Kocikowski, Ph.D.

Neurobit Systems