Comparison of active and passive electrodes in their optimized electroencephalography amplifier system

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a common method of obtaining temporally distinguishable event-related potentials (ERP). The quality of the signal is dependent on several factors, including the selection of the amplifier system and electrode type. The aim of this study is to compare the performance of two electrode types, active and passive, with their respectively optimized amplifier system, in distinguishing an ERP signal. The QuickAmp system was used with passive electrodes, while the ActiCHamp was used with active electrodes. EEG data were recorded by the two amplifier systems in different experimental sessions. In each experimental session, the same participant listened to the same set of acoustically controlled English sentences. Data were obtained from the participant via a 32-channel Easycap (10-20 configuration), through the amplifier, to the BrainVision signal recording software. Based on the analysis using EEGlab, it appears that ActiCHamp reduced noise power, but also yielded lower signal power. The results are preliminary, being from a single participant, but suggest both electrode types can yield comparable signal-to-noise ratios