EEG Cleaning Instructions
To ensure others in the lab can continue to use our equipment to collect clean/useable data, follow these steps after each EEG session.
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To ensure others in the lab can continue to use our equipment to collect clean/useable data, follow these steps after each EEG session.
Last updated
NOTE: If, at any point, you think even a little bit of water has come in contact with the connective ends of the electrodes or the black splitter boxes, don’t be afraid to let someone else in the lab know. We have to take the splitter box apart and blow dry it on a cool setting, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. The inconvenience of drying the affected electrical equipment is worth preserving its fidelity for the rest of the lab.
Stop recording in PyCorder and close the out the software. Then take the cap off the subject.
While the subject washes his/her hair, unplug the grey ribbon cables and ground electrode from the amp and put all these ends (including the black splitter boxes) in the black bags we have in each run room.
Remove the electrodes from the cap (either while in the run room while the subject washes his/her hair or in the plastic container in the sink), making sure you do not pull on the wires of the electrodes. We have guitar picks by the sinks in each run room that you can use to delicately remove each electrode. To wash the electrodes, make sure you do each of the following:
Keeping the black splitter boxes, as well as the ends of the ribbon cables and ground electrode, in the bag, place the cap and electrodes in the plastic container in the sink. It is important that the electrodes, especially the ground, do not come into contact with the metal of the sink.
Make sure the bag remains dry. Cover it with a towel and place it on one of the plastic bins.
Run the electrode under water in the sink clean the gel out of the U-shaped groove in each electrode. The water stream in run room north is a bit weaker, so you can use the needle you used while capping to help remove the remaining gel. Once you’ve washed an electrode (I’d recommend washing them in groups of four, the way they’re bundled together), place it on the towel beside and below the plastic box.
Now, wrap the wet electrodes in a separate towel and take the moisture-sensitive elements out of the bag. You now need to hang up the electrodes to drip dry, making sure 1) the splitter box/cable ends stay dry and above the wet electrodes and 2) the electrodes do not come in contact with a metal surface. Currently, we are using a brown box containing extra gel to hold the splitter boxes on the shelf in each run room while the electrodes dangle down below. We should have hooks to use soon.
To wash the cap:
Run the cap under water and use the wooden sticks to remove excess gel from the rings in the cap. This ensures the next person running will not have to deal with dried gel preventing them from working on impedances.
Put on the yellow rubber gloves and place the cap in the Metricide disinfectant, with the lid closed for 5-10 minutes. During this process, make sure you have the door open and are running a fan for proper air circulation.
Take the cap out of the Metricide while wearing the gloves. Replace the lid on the Metricide. Wash the cap with a liberal amount of Ivory soap. In general, strive to wash until there are no more soap bubbles and the strong smell of Metricide goes away.
Hang the cap up by the cloth tag to dry. Make sure the fan is pointed directly at the cap and is on its highest setting.
Other considerations as you finish your EEG session:
Disconnect the battery from the amp and plug it back in to charge.
Empty and clean all syringes.
Place all needles in the red sharps container.
Make sure you remove and throw away the circle stickers from the eye electrode and mastoid rings.
Close the lid for the gel container. If not, the gel will start to dry and get crusty.
Untangle the electrodes as best you can. This makes things easier for the person running after you.
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask someone else in the lab to walk you through this process.