ME System User Manual
Contents
1. 10 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 4 Welcome to ME Systems ME Data Acquisition The basic ME data acquisition system includes a data acquisition computer and a software package Analog input signals are acquired from the data source and digitized by the MC_Card that is preinstalled on the data acquisition computer The ME data acquisition system is available in different channel configurations ME16 ME32 ME64 and ME128 with 16 32 64 and 128 analog channels respectively The MC_Card provides the option to use a 16 bit digital TTL channel instead of one of the analog data acquisition channels You can use the digital TTL inputs for example for synchronizing stimulation and recording or for synchronizing the ME System with other systems video tracking for example The digital TTL outputs can be used for triggering other systems and instruments for example for applying a feedback The standard scope of delivery includes a 3 BNC input slot for connecting 3 input bits of the digital channel If you need more input bits or output bits for more advanced setups MCS provides a digital in out extension as an accessory with 32 BNC connectors for connecting all 16 input and output bits to separate TTL sources inputs Miniature Preamplifiers MPA The miniature head stage preamplifiers MPA can be connected directly to the microelectrodes in the test model to provide the first amplification stage of 10 Adaptors for standard multi ele2. Signal collector for 2 x MPA32I C2x32 Collects the 32 channels from each of the up to 2 miniature preamplifiers MPA32I and leads them to the amplifier via a 68 pin MCS standard cable Signal collector with blanking SC8x8BC Collects the 8 channels from each of the circuit for 8 x MPA8I up to 8 miniature preamplifiers MPA8I and leads them to the amplifier via a 68 pin MCS standard cable the voltage outputs are held constant during the TTL blanking signal stimulus artifacts are avoided Signal dividers with 16 32 or 64 SD16 SD32 SD64 Placed between amplifier and channels MC_Card permits to select any channel does not interfere with the data acquisition Signal grounding unit For silencing defective electrodes Single channels can be switched off with small toggle switches Inputs not in use are grounded Power supply with 20 W power For supplying power to programmable and 7 V output voltage gain amplifiers for custom setups that lack an internal power supply or for other custom applications Digital in out extension For connecting other devices to single digital input and output channels of the MC_Card via BNC connectors up to 16 inputs and 16 outputs for example for synchronizing stimulation and recording or for applying feedback 25 5 4 5 5 5 6 ME System User Manual Add ons for stimulation 1 Channel stimulus generator TG 1001 General purpose stimulators for a very wide variety of ap
3. 2 5 3 5 4 5 5 5 6 Table of Contents Important Information and Instructions Operator s Obligations Guaranty and Liability Important Safety Advice Welcome to ME Systems Basic Components of ME Systems System Configurations and Optional Components Single Components for Standard Systems ME Data Acquisition Miniature Preamplifiers MPA Filter Amplifiers with Fixed Gain FA Programmable Gain Amplifiers Accessories Add ons for Stimulation Setting up the ME System Supply Power and Recommended Setups Signal Amplification and Filters Data Acquisition Digital Input Output System Synchronization Triggering the MC_Card and MC_Rack Custom Switch for Remote Controlling of the MC_Card Triggering Other Instruments by the MC_Card Troubleshooting About Troubleshooting Triggering Digital Input Does not Work Contact Information Ordering Information ME Systems Amplifiers Accessories Add ons for stimulation Spare parts Multielectrode Arrays a O a un U 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 13 14 15 15 17 17 17 18 19 19 19 21 23 23 24 25 26 26 26 1 1 1 2 Important Information and Instructions Important Information and Instructions Operator s Obligations The operator is obliged to allow only persons to work on the device who are familiar with the safety at work and accident prevention regulations and have been instructed how to use the device are professionally qualified o
4. should be closed or connected to active signals Connections to all inputs and outputs shall be made with screened cables specified by Multi Channel Systems The screen has to be connected to a solid earth or chassis connection ESD voltages at open lines may cause malfunction during operation The products shall only be operated from approved power packs if necessary Welcome to ME Systems 2 Welcome to ME Systems 2 1 Basic Components of ME Systems Figure 1 ME 64 FA System With 64 channel data acquisition card 64 channel filter amplifier with custom gain and bandwidth and two 32 channel miniature preamplifiers Multi Channel Systems provides complete solutions for stimulation recording and data acquisition from up to 128 channels data analysis and export The ME multielectrode product line is intended for extracellular electrophysiological recordings in vivo and special in vitro applications Typical applications include simultaneous spike and local field potential recording multi unit and single unit recording from awake behaving animals and multitrode for example Michigan probes 8 Trode or tetrode recordings In the following all basic components that can be part of a complete ME System are briefly described You find more detailed information if you follow the links The 8 or 32 channel miniature preamplifier MPA8I MPA32I is connected to the microelectrodes for providing the initial tenfold amplification st
5. to the input signal that is the gain is not a fixed parameter for the complete bandwidth The gain that was specified for the amplifier for example 1200 is not fully reached at the borders of the amplifier s pass band The general rule is that at the lower and upper limit of the frequency band the gain is 2 2 that is approximately 70 of the full gain Therefore you should use a bandwidth that is at a safe distance of the signals of interest Outside the pass band the gain decreases with the frequency and finally approaches zero The low pass filter properties of the MC_Card will affect the bandwidth of the complete system only slightly For information on the gain and filters of the amplifiers please see the appropriate user manual For more information on gain and filters in general please refer to standard literature or contact your local retailer Data Acquisition Recording from up to 128 channels is easy with the MC_Card hardware and the MC_Rack software MC_Card hardware Important You need to have installed the latest MC_Card driver to operate the MC_Card which is usually preinstalled on the data acquisition computer The installation may be invalid if the MC_Card does not respond Please contact Multi Channel Systems if you need the MC_Card Driver and a description of the installation The MC_Card is an A D board that converts analog signals in real time into digital data streams at sampling rates of up to 50 kHz fo
6. E32 FA System ME64 FA System ME128 FA System ME16 PGA System ME32 PGA System ME64 PGA System ME128 PGA System Complete with data acquisition computer with MC_Card and IPS10W and software package Stand alone system for extracellular recordings complete with 2 x MPASI integrated FA16l integrated 16 ch data acquisition USB 2 0 data transfer to computer and software package Complete with 2 x MPA8I SC8x8 FA16l data acquisition computer with MC_Card and IPS10W and software package Complete with 2 x MPA32I SC2x32 FA32I data acquisition computer with MC_Card and IPS10W and software package Complete with 2 x MPA32I SC2x32 FA64I data acquisition computer with MC_Card and IPS10W and software package Complete with 4 x MPA32I 2 x SC2x32 2 x FA64l data acquisition computer with MC_Card and IPS10W and software package Complete with 2 x MPA amp l SC8x8 PGA16 data acquisition computer with MC_Card and IPS10W and software package Complete with 2 x MPA32I SC2x32 PGA32 data acquisition computer with MC_Card and IPS10W and software package Complete with 2 x MPA32I SC2x32 PGA64 data acquisition computer with MC_Card and IPS10W and software package Complete with 4 x MPA32I 2 x SC2x32 2 x PGA64 data acquisition computer with MC_Card and IPS10W and software package 23 ME System User Manual 5 2 Amplifiers Miniature preamplifier with 2 MPA2I electrode inputs Miniature preampli
7. age Adapters for all standard microelectrodes such as example Michigan probes from NeuroNexus Technologies and the 8 Trode from ALA Scientific Instruments Inc are available as accessories Signal collectors for connecting 8 x MPA8I SC8x8 or 2 x MPA321 SC2x32 collect the output channels of the preamplifiers and send the preamplified raw data stream to the following filter amplifier FAI with custom bandwidth and gain Alternatively a programmable gain amplifier PGA is available with software selectable gain settings for all channels separately The amplified and filtered raw data is then acquired and digitized by the MC_Card that is preinstalled on the data acquisition computer 68 pin MCS High Grade cables C68x3M 3 meters C68x1M 1 meter or C68x0 5M 0 5 meter are used for connecting the amplifier the MC_Card and any additional devices The computer supplies the power for the miniature preamplifiers and filter amplifiers not for the PGAs via the isolated power supply IPS10W The supply power is distributed to the amplifiers via the MCS High Grade cable as well Please note that you need an external power supply if you use a programmable gain amplifier 2 2 2 2 1 ME System User Manual Recorded data is graphed analyzed and reviewed with the powerful and easy to use MC_Rack program You can export the data in standard formats to other programs with the MC_DataTool ME Systems can be combined with a wide
8. aking the product fully stable and reliable but like all high performance products it has to be handled with care Triggering Digital Input Does not Work You have connected a TTL source for example the Sync Out of a stimulus generator to the digital input of the MC_Card and configured the virtual rack in MC_Rack for triggering displays or data acquisition by the TTL source but you do not see any sweeps Possible causes The TTL source does not generate true TTL signals 5 V or the TTL pulse is shorter than 200 ps The MC_Card can only accept TTL signals as a digital input stream A minimum TTL pulse of 200 us is recommended Otherwise a detection of the trigger by the MC_Card is not guaranteed The settings of the Trigger Detector do not match with the hardware configuration In MC_Rack add a Trigger Detector to your virtual rack and select the Digital Data D1 input stream as the Trigger Select the appropriate logical state generally HIGH for triggering Mask all unused bits The standard settings of the Trigger Detector are for using bit 0 Please see the MC_Rack Help or User Manual for more details 19 Contact Information Contact Information Local retailer Please see the list of official MCS distributors on the MCS web site User forum The Multi Channel Systems User Forum provides an excellent opportunity for you to exchange your experience or thoughts with other users worldwide Web link to the User Fo
9. ctrodes such as Michigan probes or the 8 Trode are available The signal channels can then be collected and sent to a signal collector which connects to the amplifier The miniature preamplifiers small size allows easy placement The metal housing prevents the amplifier from picking up external noise Miniature preamplifiers are available for 8 and 32 electrodes MPA8I MPA321 Both versions are type amplifiers that is they include a common ground and one reference electrode input Please see Filter Amplifiers with Fixed Gain for more information on type amplifiers Filter Amplifiers with Fixed Gain FA Raw data from electrodes or from the preamplifier can be amplified by filter amplifiers with fixed gain Amplifiers with 4 8 16 32 48 and 64 input channels are available with 2 different input types S or Amplifiers can be ordered with any gain and bandwidth configurations by the user s choice For example typical pass bands would be 1 300 Hz for recording field potentials and 300 3000 Hz for recording action potentials It is also possible to use a broadband amplifier and filter the data with the digital filter of the MC_Rack program Input type S Single ended inputs Amplifiers with input type S have single ended inputs All signals are measured with respect to the amplifier s ground The signal source s ground and the amplifier s ground should have the same value for obtaining good results Input type Subtracts refer
10. cy of 1 kHz Therefore you want to filter the data with a digital Low Pass filter and a cutoff frequency of 1 kHz A sampling rate of 5 kHz five times the highest signal frequency would be required for faithfully reproducing the signals but you should use a sampling rate of at least 20 kHz because the sampling rate should equal twice the bandwidth of the analog filter regardless of the digital filter properties If you had an amplifier with a cutoff frequency of 1 kHz instead no digital filter would be required and a sampling rate of 5 kHz would be enough 16 2 9 2 9 1 2 9 2 Welcome to ME Systems MC_Rack software With the high performance data acquisition and analysis program MC_Rack you can flexibly manage all data streams For example you can display the raw data of all channels while recording only the raw data of the channels of interest and the extracted parameters of all channels This saves computer performance and hard disk space MC_Rack is not limited to special applications but can be flexibly adapted to a wide range of applications Unlimited software licenses and support come free with the system and free software updates lower the costs as well Digital Input Output System Synchronization TTL stands for Transistor Transistor Logic A TTL pulse is defined as a digital signal for communication between two devices A voltage between 0 V and 0 8 V is considered as a logical state of 0 LOW and a voltage b
11. d connector OOOO OO DOAA LOVE 64 channel version 128 channel expansion Pin 1 GNDP power ground GNDP power ground Galvanically isolated voltage en F supply and ground Pin 2 GNDS signal ground GNDS signal ground Supplies voltage to connected Pin 3 66 Channels 1 64 Channels 65 128 amplifiers Er Sr Power is supplied to the Pin 67 Positive voltage supply Positive voltage supply MC_Card by the computer s Pin 68 Negative voltage supply Negative voltage supply power supply Note The analog channel 64 is available only if the digital input channel is not selected in the Channel Layout dialog box of the MC_Rack program Please note that channels 61 to 64 and 125 to 128 are not used for the MEA System Channels 61 to 63 can be used as additional analog input channels A1 to A3 via the additional BNC connectors Digital IN BNC connectors 0 1 2 BNC 0 Bit 0 of the 16 bit digital input channel BNC 1 Bit 1 of the 16 bit digital input channel BNC 2 Bit 2 of the 16 bit digital input channel Note The additional digital inputs are available only if the digital input channel is selected in the Channel Layout dialog box of the MC_Rack program A digital in out extension with 16 BNC inputs and 16 BNC outputs that can be connected to the MC_Card via a 68 pin digital in out connector is available as an accessory Analog IN BNC connectors MEA System only 1 2 3 BNC 1 Channel 61 BNC 2 Channel 62 BNC 3 Channel 63 Multi Chan
12. d gold tracks embedded in flexible polyimid Michigan probes 16 32 64 channel silicon probes NeuroNexus Technologies www neuronexustech com 8 Trode Electrodes with eight pads for in vivo acute ALA Scientific Instruments Inc or chronic implantation www alascience com 26 MC_Card ravo Use and Operation multichannel systems The MC_Card is an A D board converting analog signals into digital data streams in real time It is generally delivered preinstalled on the data acquisition computer All inputs and outputs are labeled on the computer s rear panel Please see the MEA System or ME System User Manual for details Please refer to the MC_Rack Help and or User Manual for more information on the data acquisition Important The latest MC_Card driver is required which is usually preinstalled on the data acquisition computer The driver can be installed or updated by installing the latest MC_Rack version 3 3 3 0 or later Warning The device may only be used together with ME Systems and MEA Systems from Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH and only for the specified purpose Damage of the device and even fatal A injuries can result from improper use Do not open the data acquisition computer and do not change the hardware configuration as this could lead to improper behavior of the system Technical Specifications Number of analog input channels Input voltage Input impedance Bandwidth Number of digital inpu
13. data with a cutoff at the highest signal frequency For slow signals like field potentials a bandwidth of 1 300 Hz is appropriate If you like to record fast signals like spikes a pass band of 300 Hz to 3 kHz is suitable Cardiac signals have fast and slow components therefore you usually need a wider bandwidth of 1 Hz to 3 kHz Multi Channel Systems provides custom amplifiers with a bandwidth of your choice from 0 1 Hz to 10 kHz Please note that it is often wise to acquire the data with a broadband amplifier and use the digital filter of the MC_Rack program to adjust the pass band This way you are much more flexible in designing your experiments As a further advantage you can see the original not filtered data as well This is especially important because all filters are known to distort signals On the other hand you may need a higher sampling rate to avoid aliasing and the signal to noise ratio is lower See also the chapter Data Acquisition for more information Multi Channel Systems also provides amplifiers with a gain of your choice from 100 to 5000 For large signals for example from heart preparations you need a lower gain to prevent a saturation of the amplifier Please note that the gain of FAs is a fixed hardware property and that you cannot change the gain of the amplifier by software controls The gain of PGAs can be flexibly adjusted for each channel from 10 to 5000 Please note that the ratio of the output signal
14. ence from input voltage An amplifier with input type includes a common ground and a common indifferent reference electrode input The reference electrode is ideally identical to the recording electrodes and placed into a comparable but inactive area or tissue Background or noise signals that are picked up by both the reference electrode and the recording electrodes are removed 11 2 2 5 2 3 2 4 ME System User Manual Programmable Gain Amplifiers Raw data from the preamplifier is amplified by the programmable gain amplifier which is basically an S type filter amplifier but in addition the gain can be flexibly adjusted from 10 to 5000 with the user friendly program FiltAmp Standard versions with 16 32 and 64 input and output channels are available Also special versions are available that feature two different pass bands Signals are split and the two pass bands are sent to two separate output channels For 16 input and 32 output channels or 32 input and 64 output channels respectively These amplifiers are perfect for recording signals with different frequencies Programmable gain amplifiers can be ordered with any bandwidth configuration by the user s choice Accessories MCS provides a wide range of accessories that will make your ME system setup even more efficient and convenient to use All accessories are perfect for use with MCS products but are easily adaptable to custom systems as well Some accessories are incl
15. er behavior of the amplifier or can even melt the wire The following tables show you how much power the amplifiers need and how much power the MCS power supplies will provide Amplifier Supply voltage Supply current MPA2I 3Vto 8VDC lt 2 mA typically 1 mA MPASI lt 6 mA typically 4 mA MPA32I FLEX lt 14 mA typically 9 mA FA3 6Vto 9VDC lt 40 mA typically 25 mA FA16 lt 75 mA typically 50 mA FA32 lt 150 mA typically 100 mA FA48 lt 225 mA typically 150 mA FA64 lt 300 mA typically 200 mA PGA16 5 7V to 12 VDC 350 mA positive rail 110 mA negative rail PGA32 550 mA positive rail 225 mA negative rail PGA64 725 mA positive rail 450 mA negative rail PGA1632 550 mA positive rail 225 mA negative rail PGA3264 725 mA positive rail 450 mA negative rail Power supply Supply voltage Supply current IPS10W internal power supply 6 3V 10 max 1 2 A 6 3 V or 6 3 V PS20W external power supply 7V 10 max 1 5A 7V 14 2 7 2 8 Welcome to ME Systems Signal Amplification and Filters FA and PGA amplifiers combine a band pass filter and the signal amplification in one instrument Different filter settings are used to enhance the signal to noise ratio The pass band of the filter amplifier depends on the signal type It is generally useful to filter the
16. etween 2 V and 5 V means a 1 HIGH Warning A voltage that is higher than 5 Volts or lower than 0 Volts that is a negative voltage applied to the digital input would destroy the MC_Card Make sure that you apply only TTL pulses 0 5 V to the digital inputs Important 3 BNC connectors for the digital input bits 0 2 are included in the standard configurations of the ME System If you want to use more bits of the 16 bit input channel or the 16 bit output channel as described in 2 9 2 you have to order a digital in out extension see 5 3 separately You can also upgrade your system with the extension later Please contact your local retailer for details Triggering the MC_Card and MC_Rack The digital input accepts TTL pulses This feature can be used for triggering the MC_Card and MC_Rack for example for synchronizing stimulation and data acquisition For example you can connect the Sync Out of an STG stimulus generator to one of the digital input bits If you use only one instrument for triggering connect it to bit 0 In MC_Rack add a Trigger Detector to your virtual rack and select the Digital Data D1 input stream as the Trigger Select the appropriate logical state generally HIGH for triggering Mask all unused bits The standard settings of the Trigger Detector are for using bit 0 Please see the documentation on the Trigger Detector instrument and on triggered data in the MC_Rack Help or User Manual for more details Im
17. fier with 8 MPA8I electrode inputs Miniature preamplifier with 32 MPA32I electrode inputs Miniature preamplifier with 32 MPA32IFLEX electrode inputs for use with FlexMEAs Filter amplifiers with 4 8 16 32 FANNX 48 or 64 channels and input type Sorl Amplifier with programmable PGA16 gain 16 channels Amplifier with programmable PGA32 gain 32 channels Amplifier with programmable PGA64 gain 64 channels Amplifier with programmable PGA1632 gain 16 input and 32 output channels Amplifier with programmable PGA3264 gain 32 input and 64 output channels 24 Small sized and light weight headstage with common ground and additional indifferent reference electrode input input type I gain 10 NN is the total number of channels X is the input type S or with custom gain and bandwidth Gain programmable from 10 to 5000 with custom bandwidth Gain programmable from 10 to 5000 with two different custom pass bands Ordering Information 5 3 Accessories Michigan Probe adapters MP ADAPTER Allow a direct connection of Michigan probes to two miniature preamplifiers MPA8I Available for 16 32 and 64 channels 8 Trode adapter 8 Trode adapter Allows a direct connection of the 8 Trode from ALA Scientic Instruments Inc to the MPASI Signal collector for 8 x MPA8I Collects the 8 channels from each of the up to 8 miniature preamplifiers MPAS8I and leads them to the amplifier via a 68 pin MCS standard cable
18. light Set up the computer Set up all system components as described in the separate user manuals Connect the MPA8ls to the SC8x8 or the MPA3Z2Is to the SC2x32 Close all unused sockets with ground connectors Connect the SC8x8 or the SC2x32 to the FA or PGA Connect the FA or PGA amplifier to the MC_Card input labeled MC_Card Ch 01 64 with the 68 pin MCS standard cable C68x3M If you have an ME128 System connect a second amplifier with the 68 pin MCS standard cable C68x3M to the input for channels 65 128 labeled MC_CX64 Ch 65 128 13 2 6 ME System User Manual Supply Power and Recommended Setups In the standard ME FA systems the isolated power supply IPS10W that is preinstalled on the data acquisition computer delivers the power for the amplifiers MPA and FA distributed via the 68 pin MCS High Grade cable One of the limiting factors when using the IPS10W is the voltage drop of the 3 m MCS High Grade cable The characteristic resistance of the cable is 0 3 Ohms per meter This results in a 1 Ohm resistance for a 3 m cable leading to a voltage drop of 500 mV for a 500 mA current U R I 1 Q 500 mA 500 mV As the voltage drop limit is 500 mV the limit for each cable is 500 mA Warning Follow the manufacturer s setup recommendations Do not use longer cables than recommended Do not connect other amplifiers or more amplifiers than recommended A voltage drop exceeding the limit of 500 mA can lead to improp
19. ly a feedback triggered by a signal or a parameter stream For example you can connect the Trigger In of an STG stimulus generator to the digital output via the digital in out extension You can also use the digital output for a synchronization of the ME System with other systems for example for video tracking provided that the other system of choice is able to receive TTL pulses Please see the documentation on the Digital Output instrument in the MC_Rack Help or User Manual for more details 18 3 1 3 2 Troubleshooting Troubleshooting About Troubleshooting The following hints are provided to solve special problems that have been reported by users Most problems occur seldom and only under specific circumstances Please check the mentioned possible causes carefully when you have any trouble with the product In most cases it is only a minor problem that can be easily avoided or solved If the problem persists please contact your local retailer The highly qualified staff will be glad to help you Please inform your local retailer as well if other problems that are not mentioned in this documentation occur even if you have solved the problem on your own This helps other users and it helps MCS to optimize the instrument and the documentation Please pay attention to the safety and service information in the separate user manuals of the related products and in the software help Multi Channel Systems has put all effort into m
20. multichannel systems ME System User Manual Information in this document is subject to change without notice No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted without the express written permission of Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions or for damages resulting from the use of information contained in this document or from the use of programs and source code that may accompany it In no event shall the publisher and the author be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this document 2004 2006 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH All rights reserved Printed 2006 07 28 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH AspenhaustraBe 21 72770 Reutlingen Germany Fon 49 71 21 90 925 0 Fax 49 71 21 90 92 5 11 info multichannelsystems com www multichannelsystems com Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation Products that are referred to in this document may be either trademarks and or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be noted as such The publisher and the author make no claim to these trademarks 1 1 1 2 1 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 4 2 2 5 2 3 2 4 2 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 2 9 2 9 1 2 9 2 2 9 3 3 1 3 2 5 1 5
21. nel Systems Fon 49 7121 9 09 25 0 2004 2006 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH Fax 49 7121 9 09 25 11 MCS GmbH Aspenhaustrasse 21 72770 Reutlingen info multichannelsystems com Germany www multichannelsystems com Product information is subject to change without notice MC Card Rev C multichannel systems Digital in out 68 Pin connector GOGO 010101010 Pin 1 GNDP power ground Pin 2 GNDS signal ground Pin 3 10 Digital output channels bit 0 7 Pin 11 14 GNDS signal ground Pin 15 22 Digital output channels bit 8 15 Pin 23 26 GNDS signal ground Pin 27 34 Digital input channels bit 0 7 Pin 35 38 GNDS signal ground Pin 39 46 Digital input channels bit 8 15 Pin 47 48 GNDS signal ground Pin 49 63 Internal use do not connect Pin 64 66 GNDS signal ground Pin 67 Positive supply voltage output Pin 68 Negative voltage supply output Note The additional 16 bit digital input output channel is available only if the digital input channel is selected in the Channel Layout dialog box of the MC_Rack program The 68 pin digital in out socket is not included in the standard scope of delivery but available on request Multi Channel Systems Fon 49 7121 9 09 25 0 2004 2006 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH Fax 49 7121 9 09 25 11 MCS GmbH Aspenhaustrasse 21 72770 Reutlingen info multichannelsystems com Germany www multichannelsystems com Product information is subject to change without notice
22. nnels The flexible MC_Stimulus software enables complex stimulus waveforms both current and voltage Waveforms designed in the program or imported from an external file are converted by the STG into pulses which are sent to stimulating electrodes Stimulus isolation units are integrated in the STG for each channel Thus no additional stimulus isolations units are required Trigger in and outputs are available for an exact timing of stimulation and for controlling other instruments by TTL pulses For example stimulation and recording can be synchronized with a digital trigger signal TTL sent from the Sync Out output of the stimulus generator to the MC_Card via digital inputs With the SC8x8BC with blanking circuit stimulus artifacts and amplifier saturation are effectively prevented 12 Welcome to ME Systems Setting up the ME System Warning Please read the separate user manuals of all devices before installation especially the warnings and safety information Make sure all devices are switched off before you connect them to the power supply Damage to the devices and even fatal injuries may result from improper installation or use See also the documentation ME System Setups detailed diagrams and various setup suggestions Provide a power supply in the immediate vicinity of the installation site Place all devices on a stable and dry surface where the air can circulate freely and the devices are not exposed to direct sun
23. plications Flexible 2 Channel stimulus generator STG1002 aind easyto lise ME Stimulus so Ware 4 Channel stimulus generator STG1004 enables complex stimulus waveforms 8 Channel stimulus generator STG1008 both current and voltage Stimulus isolation units are integrated in the STG for each channel With additional digital trigger in and output 4 Channel stimulus generator STG2004 Advanced version with 4 additional 3 digital trigger in and outputs About 8 Channel stimulus generator STG2008 100 x faster download via USB 16 times more memory for long time stimulation Spare parts 0 5 m 68 pin MCS Standard C68x0 5M For MEA or ME Systems cable 1 m 68 1 m 68 pin MCS Standard cable MCS 1 m 68 pin MCS Standard cable cable C68x1M 3 m 68 pin MCS Standard cable eu Multielectrode Arrays A broad range of multielectrode probes are available from several providers The following are compatible with the miniature preamplifiers from Multi Channel Systems If you are interested in a particular probe that is not mentioned here please ask Multi Channel Systems or your local retailer for compatibility Product Description sumer Flexible With 36 electrodes in total 32 electrodes Multi Channel Systems MCS microelectrode arranged in a 6 x 6 grid 2 reference GmbH array FlexMEA electrodes 2 ground electrodes 30 um www multichannelsystems com electrode diameter 300 um interelectrode distance TiN electrodes an
24. portant It is recommended to set the duration of a TTL pulse to at least 200 ps Shorter pulses may be ignored by the MC_Card Please mask unused not connected digital input channels in the MC_Rack program to ignore undefined states of the open inputs that can cause unwanted trigger events Please see the MC_Rack User Manual for more details Custom Switch for Remote Controlling of the MC_Card You can connect any device that produces TTL outputs for example a switch to one of the digital input bits of the MC_Card This means you can use a trigger for remote controlling the recording with MC_Rack or for synchronizing systems if the data acquisition computer is not within reach during an experiment You can define the time length of the cutouts that are recorded around the trigger event in MC_Rack Please note that it is not possible to start the recording of a continuous data file with MC_Rack on a trigger but you can start a new data file on the trigger event select the Recorder option Create New File On Trigger 17 ME System User Manual The following picture shows a suggested circuit diagram for a switch used for remote controlling The resistor and capacitor work as a low pass filter on the TTL signal and are necessary to reduce ringing of the signal 1kQ BNC 2 9 3 Triggering Other Instruments by the MC_Card The digital output of the MC_Card sends 20 ms TTL pulses 0 V LOW and 5 V HIGH This feature can be used to app
25. quate monitoring of device components subject to wear Improperly executed and unauthorized repairs Unauthorized opening of the device or its components Catastrophic events due to the effect of foreign bodies or acts of God gt bz ME System User Manual Important Safety Advice Warning ME MEASystems include several instruments as individual components Each instrument is shipped with a separate user manual The information in the individual user manuals fully apply to the complete system This manual is only to be understood as an additional information Read all user manuals thoroughly before setting up the system Warning Obey always the rules of local regulations and laws Only qualified personnel should be allowed to perform laboratory work Work according to good laboratory practice to obtain best results and to minimize risks The product has been built to the state of the art and in accordance with recognized safety engineering rules The device may only be used for its intended purpose be used when in a perfect condition Improper use could lead to serious even fatal injuries to the user or third parties and damage to the device itself or other material damage Warning The devices and the software are not intended for medical uses and must not be used on humans Malfunctions which could impair safety should be rectified immediately High Voltage Electrical cords must be properly laid and installed The length and q
26. r all channels You will not miss even the fastest signals You configure the input voltage range from 400 mV to 4V and the sampling rate with the software controls in the MC_Rack program Please refer to the MC_Rack Help or User Manual for more information Please see the MC_Card data sheet for additional information on the pin layouts and the technical specifications 15 ME System User Manual DC Offset correction An offset correction is generally not necessary because the intrinsic DC offsets of the MCS amplifier outputs and the MC_Card are very low in comparison to the signals of interest The maximum DC offset of the MC_Card is 2 mV For example with a total gain of 1000 this results in a maximum offset of only 2 uV 2 mV divided by 1000 for the input signals You can use the MC_Rack offset correction feature to remove even this low offset and reset all channels to zero Please refer to the MC_Rack Help or User Manual for more information Note If you observe a large offset on any channel s you should contact your local retailer for troubleshooting The offset correction is not intended for removing large offsets because the offset correction will decrease the input voltage range Sampling rate It is recommended to adjust the sampling rate according to your signals because the higher the sampling rate the bigger the file size will be As a rule of thumb the sampling rate should equal five times the highes
27. r have specialist knowledge and training and have received instruction in the use of the device have read and understood the chapter on safety and the warning instructions in this manual and confirmed this with their signature It must be monitored at regular intervals that the operating personnel are working safely Personnel still undergoing training may only work on the device under the supervision of an experienced person Guaranty and Liability The General conditions of sale and delivery of Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH always apply The operator will receive these no later than on conclusion of the contract Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH makes no guaranty as to the accuracy of any and all tests and data generated by the use of the device or the software It is up to the user to use good laboratory practice to establish the validity of his findings Guaranty and liability claims in the event of injury or material damage are excluded when they are the result of one of the following Improper use of the device Improper installation commissioning operation or maintenance of the device Operating the device when the safety and protective devices are defective and or inoperable Non observance of the instructions in the manual with regard to transport storage installation commissioning operation or maintenance of the device Unauthorized structural alterations to the device Unauthorized modifications to the system settings Inade
28. range of MCS products Amplifiers stimulators and various accessories In addition to the standard ME product line the ME 16 USB System is available as a very compact portable stand alone solution for extracellular recordings from 16 channels It features an integrated 16 channel filter amplifier and data acquisition The digitally converted electrode signals are transmitted to the connected computer via universal serial bus Full Soeed USB 2 0 Thus it is possible to use any computer as a data acquisition computer for example a laptop The size of the complete system is so small it easily fits into a laptop bag together with the computer Interference of computer components with computer components are excluded Please see the ME 16 USB System User Manual for more information on the ME 16 USB System System Configurations and Optional Components Multi Channel Systems provides several complete standard configurations and custom systems This chapter will give you an overview on different system configurations Please see also the handout Multielectrode Array System Suggestions which shows detailed diagrams of several typical setups Please note that you have various options for setting up your personal ME System configuration For more information about the scope of delivery of your system please see the separate shipping documents Please see the separate documentation for information on installing and operating the individual componen
29. rum Mailing list If you have subscribed to the ME System Mailing List you will be automatically informed about new software releases upcoming events and other news on the product line You can subscribe to the list on the MCS web site www multichannelsystems com 21 5 Ordering Information Ordering Information Please contact your local retailer for pricing and ordering information 5 1 ME Systems Product ________ Produethumber Description with 16 analog channels with 32 analog channels with 64 analog channels Data acquisition system with 128 analog channels ME recording system with 16 analog channels and filter amplifier with fixed gain ME recording system with 16 analog channels and filter amplifier with fixed gain ME recording system with 32 analog channels and filter amplifier with fixed gain ME recording system with 64 analog channels and filter amplifier with fixed gain ME recording system with 128 analog channels and filter amplifier with fixed gain ME recording system with 16 analog channels and filter amplifier with programmable gain ME recording system with 32 analog channels and filter amplifier with programmable gain ME recording system with 64 analog channels and filter amplifier with programmable gain ME recording system with 128 analog channels and filter amplifier with programmable gain ME128 System ME 16 USB System ME16 FA System M
30. t channels Input signals Number of digital output channels Output signals Sampling frequency Total conversion rate Data resolution Crosstalk channel to channel DC Offset Interface and connectors 3 Digital Inputs Analog inputs 3 Analog inputs MEA System only 64 or 128 depending on the version of the system 400 mV to AV software controlled 33k Q serial by 470 pF DC to 9 kHz 16 Use of digital input reduces number of analog channels by 1 TTL CMOS 5 V TTL level 16 TTL CMOS 5 V output Up to 50 kHz on each channel software controlled 12 8 MB s 14 bit max 0 1 typically 0 01 max 2 mV BNC connector 68 Pin MCS standard connector BNC connectors For using all 16 digital input and output bits a digital IN OUT extension can be ordered separately MC_Rack program Operating system Export features via MC_DataTool Data Export Data Acquisition and analysis software Windows 2000 or XP with NTFS English and German versions supported Axon Binary File abf ASCII file txt and binary file raw format Multi Channel Systems Fon 49 7121 9 09 25 O O 2004 2006 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH Fax 49 7121 9 09 25 11 MCS GmbH Aspenhaustrasse 21 72770 Reutlingen info multichannelsystems com Germany www multichannelsystems com Product information is subject to change without notice MC Card rwo multichannel systems Pin layout Electrode analog input 68 Pin MCS standar
31. t signal frequency for a good digitized representation of the continuous analog signals If the sampling rate is too low you will miss signals and or see artifacts Considering the preceding statements about filtering data you would for example use a 5 kHz sampling rate when using an amplifier with a cutoff frequency of 1 kHz Please note that if you use a broadband amplifier and a digital filter you may have to use an even higher sampling rate This is the case because the whole amplifier bandwidth is recorded and then high frequency noise is removed with a digital Low Pass filter after recording Frequencies noise that are above half the sampling rate for example above 2 5 kHz at a 5 kHz sampling rate will be transformed into lower frequencies This is called aliasing This low frequency noise passes the digital Low Pass filter and increases your noise level According to the Nyquist Shannon sampling theorem the sampling rate should equal twice the bandwidth of the analog hardware Low Pass filter The 1 2 bandwidth frequency is also called Nyquist frequency You may ignore this if saving hard disk space is more important for your application than the noise level Note The sampling frequency should be at least five times the highest signal frequency and at least twice the bandwidth of the filter amplifier Example You have a broadband filter amplifier with a bandwidth of 0 1 Hz to 10 kHz The expected signals have a maximum frequen
32. ts of your ME System All warnings and safety related information of the separate documents apply and must be regarded Do not hesitate to contact MCS or your local retailer if you are interested in a particular setup or if you have other questions Single Components for Standard Systems The following components are part of ME standard systems Please make sure that you have carefully studied the documentation on the single components before setting up your system All user manuals can be found on the installation volume shipped with the system Updated versions can also be downloaded from the MCS web site Web link to the user manuals download page on www multichannelsystems com Product User Manual Reference 8 or 32 channel 10x miniature preamplifiers MPA8I MPA8I MPA32I User Manual SC8x8 SC2x32 or MPA32I with signal collectors SC8x8 or SC2x32 data sheet Filter amplifiers FA or programmable gain FA User Manual PGA User Manual amplifiers PGA with custom bandwidth and gain settings PGA with flexibly adjustable gain from 10 to 5000 Data acquisition computer with MC_Card and ME System User Manual integrated isolated power supply IPS10W or External power supply PS20W Data acquisition and analysis software MC_Rack and MC_Rack User Manual Help MC_Rack MC_DataTool Tutorial Complete ME System Setup ME System User Manual Multielectrode Array Systems Suggested Setups
33. uality of the cords must be in accordance with local provisions Only qualified technicians may work on the electrical system It is essential that the accident prevention regulations and those of the employers liability associations are observed Each time before starting up make sure that the mains supply agrees with the specifications of the products Check the power cords for damage each time the site is changed Damaged power cords should be replaced immediately and may never be reused Check the leads for damage Damaged leads should be replaced immediately and may never be reused Do not try to insert anything sharp or metallic into the vents or the case of the products Liquids may cause short circuits or other damage Keep the devices and the power cords always dry Do not handle it with wet hands Electromagnetic compatibility of the MC_Card The MC_Card data acquisition board is only intended for research work in laboratories It belongs to product class 0 conforming to the European Product Regulations and the CE Conformit Europ enne marking The MC_Card complies with all applicable directives specified in the Council Directive for Electromagnetic Compatibility 89 336 EU Important Information and Instructions Requirements for the installation The MC_Card is only suitable for extra low voltages and shall be used only as specified The equipment shall be correctly earthed or connected to ground The analog inputs
34. uded in complete systems other have to be ordered separately Signal Collectors for collecting the channels from the miniature preamplifiers and leading them to the amplifier via a 68 pin MCS standard cable Versions for connecting 8x MPA8I or 2x MPA32I are available SC8x8 and SC2x32 respectively The SC8x8 is also available as a special version with blanking circuit SC8x8BC A blanking signal transiently grounds the recording electrodes during the stimulus thus preventing stimulus artifacts Signal Dividers SD16 SD32 SD64 allow you to connect any channel via BNC connector to an external device for example an oscilloscope without interfering with the data acquisition Digital in out extension Di o for connecting other devices to single digital input and output channels of the MC_Card via BNC connectors up to 16 inputs and 16 outputs for example for synchronizing stimulation and recording or for applying feedback Signal Grounding Unit GND64 for silencing defective electrodes Single channels can be turned off with small toggle switches Inputs not in use are grounded Power Supply PS20W for supplying 20 W power 7 V output voltage to programmable gain amplifiers for custom setups that lack an internal power supply or for other custom applications Add ons for Stimulation MCS provides general purpose stimulators like the basic 1000 series with 1 2 4 or 8 output channels or the advanced 2000 series with 4 or 8 cha
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