Exploiting Electrocorticographic Spectral Characteristics for Optimized Signal Chain Design: A 1.08 Analog Front End With Reduced ADC Resolution Requirements

IEEE Trans Biomed Circuits Syst. 2016 Dec;10(6):1171-1180. doi: 10.1109/TBCAS.2016.2518923. Epub 2016 Apr 6.

Abstract

Electrocorticography (ECoG) is an important area of research for Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) development. ECoG, along with some other biopotentials, has spectral characteristics that can be exploited for more optimal front-end performance than is achievable with conventional techniques. This paper optimizes noise performance of such a system and discusses an equalization technique that reduces the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) dynamic range requirements and eliminates the need for a variable gain amplifier (VGA). We demonstrate a fabricated prototype in 1p9m 65 nm CMOS that takes advantage of the presented findings to achieve high-fidelity, full-spectrum ECoG recording. It requires 1.08 μW over a 150 Hz bandwidth for the entire analog front end and only 7 bits of ADC resolution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Amplifiers, Electronic
  • Brain-Computer Interfaces
  • Electrocorticography / instrumentation
  • Electrocorticography / methods*
  • Equipment Design
  • Humans
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Signal-To-Noise Ratio