FAQ

NeoRec cap

faq
1
NeoRec cap out of the box ready to go?

NeoRec cap includes: EEG cap with installed electrodes (cap size is determined when ordering), EEG amplifier, USB charging cable, instruction manual, transport case.

Before using NeoRec cap for the first time on a PC or laptop, you need to install the NeoRec software from the NeoRecCap support page. The PC or laptop must have Bluetooth 5.0 support. Other PC requirements are listed in What are the requirements for a PC or laptop to use NeoRec cap?

The kit DOES NOT include a blunt needle syringe and electrode gel required for inserting the electrodes, as well as a special abrasive paste for pre-treatment of the skin. For a complete list of consumables, see What consumables are recommended for NeoRec cap and where can I get them?

2
What are the requirements for a PC or laptop to use NeoRec cap?
Minimum requirements: Intel Core i3 2.0 GHz CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD/HDD, Bluetooth 5.0, Ethernet or WiFi LAN connection (for LSL data streaming), 13" monitor less than 1440x1080, keyboard, mouse or touchpad, Windows 10 or Windows 11.
3
What consumables are recommended for NeoRec cap and where can I get them?

For high-quality EEG recording, a special abrasive paste for pre-treatment of the skin, an electrically conductive gel, and a syringe with a blunt needle for adding the gel are required.

To care for the cap, brushes for cleaning the electrodes and a disinfectant are required.

Conductive gels, pastes, needles and other EEG accessories can be purchased at the mcscap.ru online store.

To get started, you can purchase a EEG starter kit, which includes a syringe, blunt-tipped needle, electrode gel, electrode cleaning brushes, and a disinfectant.
4
How to work with NeoRec cap?

The NeoRec cap includes a mobile EEG amplifier NB2-EEG16. The amplifier connects to the electrode cap and transmits the recorded data to a PC via Bluetooth. The amplifier is controlled by a single button located in the center of the front panel. The button is combined with a light indicator.

Procedure for EEG registration:

1. Make sure the correct size cap is selected.

2. Without putting the cap on your head, turn on the device by pressing the button. The indicator on the button will turn purple and change brightness smoothly. If the indicator color is red, the device needs to be charged.

3. Launch the NeoRec program on the PC and wait for the successful connection. The indicator on the button will change color to blue and continue to smoothly change brightness.

4. In the NeoRec software interface, press the IMPEDANCE button. The indicator on the button will remain blue, but will stop flashing.

5. Put the cap on your head, attach the chin belt. Insert a syringe with a blunt needle into the hole of the GND electrode, spread the hair under the electrode and add the electrode gel. Do this for the other electrodes. Monitor the impedance on the computer screen. An impedance below 50 kΩ is considered a good result. It may take some time for the gel to reach the skin. To ensure a good result (low impedance), before adding the gel, spread the hair under each electrode and wipe the skin intensively with a special abrasive paste using a cotton swab.

6. Start signal monitoring/registration . Conduct an experiment using the capabilities of the NeoRec program.

7. After finishing work, close the NeoRec program. The device will turn off automatically.

8. Clean and disinfect the cap according to the User Manual.

Each product is accompanied by an User Manual, which describes in detail how to work with the product.

5
How to enable and disable NeoRec cap?

To turn on NeoRec cap, you need to press a single button on the amplifier once. In case of successful activation, the indicator on the button will turn purple and will smoothly change brightness.

The amplifier turns off automatically after closing the program to which it was connected. To force the amplifier to turn off, hold the button down for more than 6 seconds.
6
What does the indicator light on the amplifier show?
neoreccap-en.jpg
7
How is pressing the amplifier button handled during EEG recording?
If the button is pressed briefly during EEG recording, this will add a time-based event to the file or data stream.
8
Why is Bluetooth 5.0 required to work with NeoRec cap?
NeoRec cap works using the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) protocol, which has been supported since the Bluetooth 4.0 specification. In practice, Bluetooth 4.0 (4.2) has performance issues that can cause data transmission errors in 500 and 1000 Hz modes, with all channels enabled.
9
What device status parameters are monitored during operation?
The NeoRec program shows the remaining battery power of the device, the percentage of Bluetooth utilization, data compression before transmission, the number of data transmission errors. Information about the connected device is displayed in the MAIN tab in the DEVICE INFORMATION field.
10
How long can NeoRec cap run on a fully charged battery? How long does it take to charge the device?

The duration of work in the registration mode is at least 12 hours. This time will be proportionally increased if not all channels of the device are used during registration. The device is fully charged in 2-2.5 hours.

11
What is the electrode cap made of? How to choose the right size?

The NeoRec cap uses an elastic neoprene cap with a textile backing. The cap has holes for ventilation and access to the electrodes and the patient's skin. Exactly the same caps are used in medical products - the MCScap electrode system. For most adults, a cap size L is suitable (for a head circumference of 54-60 cm).

The site mcscap.com presents caps in nine sizes for head circumferences from 36 to 66 cm.
12
What are the features of NeoRec cap care? ATTENTION!

NeoRec cap should be cleaned WITH AN AMPLIFIER CONNECTED. In this case, protection is provided from splashes when washing and from water flowing from the cap when drying - the elastic casing of the connector will close the connection point.

At the same time, the amplifier with the connector must NOT be immersed in liquid or water. The amplifier and connector housing should be wiped with wet wipes.
13
How to properly connect/disconnect the electrode cable connector or charging cable?

When connecting the electrode cable connector or charging cable, position the cable connector so that the arrow on the electrode cable connector housing coincides with the front side of the amplifier. Insert connectors until they click into place.

neoreccap-en-2.jpg

When disconnecting the connectors, hold the amplifier with one hand, and squeeze these latches with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, in the case of an electrode cable connector, push through the protective cover, and pull the connector out of the amplifier.

neoreccap-en-3.jpg

14
How well does NeoRec cap record EEG?

The EEG amplifier for NeoRec cap is comparable in terms of signal processing quality to the “large” amplifiers of the NVX series for scientific research and medical diagnostics. The set includes top sintered Ag/AgCl electrodes for long-term and stable operation.

The 16 channels of the EEG amplifier are direct current (DC) channels. Each channel has its own 24-bit A/D converter. This provides true signal acquisition at low frequencies, a huge dynamic voltage range (up to ±300 mV), and fast recovery from overload. The montages and filters are implemented on the computer in the NeoRec program or in a third-party signal processing analysis program.

15
How much does an EEG amplifier weigh in the NeoRec cap system?

The mass of the amplifier is 35 grams, overall dimensions - 68x38x17 mm (a little more than a box of matches). The amplifier is attached to the cap in the back of the head, which allows not to limit motor activity during EEG recording.

16
Is it possible to conduct scientific research on NeoRec cap?

Yes. The set includes the NeoRec program for recording EEG signals to EDF+, BDF+, GDF, BrainProducts EEG files for further analysis and processing by third-party software. NeoRec supports online LSL (Lab Streaming Layer) data stream for external real-time systems. This allows you to perform synchronous recording from various data sources such as EEG, video, audio, motion sensors, etc.

17
Does NeoRec cap control electrode impedance?

Yes. As is customary in electroencephalography, before starting registration, the impedance is measured for each of the electrodes. The measurement is carried out with a very small current at a frequency of 30 Hz. NeoRec software allows you to visually check and, if necessary, take measures to improve the impedance.

18
Is there a built-in accelerometer in NeoRec cap?

Yes, NeoRec cap has a built-in 3-axis intelligent accelerometer that generates movement (activity), tilt, free fall events. At the time of event registration, acceleration values are registered and transferred to the software. These values allow you to calculate the orientation of the device in space.

19
Why the program cannot find NeoRec cap?

Check that before starting the program, the NeoRec cap amplifier is turned on and is waiting for connection - the indicator on the button is purple and smoothly changes brightness. It may turn out that the device has already connected to a program running on your or another computer.

In rare cases, when the program ended abnormally or was forcibly removed from the task manager and could not turn off the amplifier properly, the Windows operating system “does not release” the device for some time. Unfortunately, in this case, you will have to wait a few minutes and try to connect again.

20
Can I connect individual EEG electrodes or standard EEG caps to the NeoRec cap, increase the distance between the amplifier and the EEG cap?

Yes. To do this, you need to purchase one of the adapters:

  • TP-NB2-EEG16 LIGHT lightweight portable adapter for connecting up to 17 individual electrodes to the amplifier with a standard 1.5mm TouchProof connector, such as MCScap electrodes.
  • TP-NB2-EEG16 adapter, made in the form of a box with connectors, for connecting up to 17 individual electrodes to the amplifier with a standard TouchProof 1.5 mm connector. Convenient for desktop (stationary) use.
  • DB25-NB2-EEG16 – adapter cable for connecting caps with built-in electrodes to the EEG device with a widely used DB25 connection connector, for example, SLEEP or PROFESSIONAL electrode cap.
  • Extension lead NB2-EEG16, 1.5 m is designed to connect the NeoRec cap EEG cap to the NB2‑EEG16 EEG amplifier in case the amplifier needs to be placed not on the cap, but in an arbitrary place on the human body or next to it.

21
Is it possible to use NeoRec cap as part of another system? Where can I get the application programmer library? Are there any sample programs?

To work with the NeoRec cap system, a C++ library for Windows 10/11 was developed. An actual project with an example of using a C++ program is located in the github.com/mcsltd/NB2CppDemo repository. The example uses the application programmer's DLL and demonstrates the capabilities of NeoRec cap and the library. Use of the example code and compiled library is subject to the MIT Free and Open Source License.