MultiChannel uPA16 Manual de usuario
Micro Preamplifier Manual
μPA16
μPA32
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of Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH.
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author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of
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© 2016 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH. All rights reserved.
Printed: 27. 07. 2016
Multi Channel Systems
MCS GmbH
Aspenhaustraße 21
72770 Reutlingen
Germany
Fon +49-71 21-90 92 5 - 0
Fax +49-71 21-90 92 5 -11
www.multichannelsystems.com
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Table of Contents
1Important Information and Instruction 1
1.1 Operator's Obligations 1
1.2 Guarantee and Liability 1
1.3 Important Safety Advice 2
2Welcome to the μPA 3
3Setting Up and Connecting the μPA 4
3.1 General Setup Recommendations 4
3.2 Multi Channel Experimenter 6
3.3 Setting up MC_Rack 9
3.3.1 Noise Level Test 9
3.3.2 ME/W-SG Test 10
3.4 Service and Maintenance 11
3.4.1 Cleaning the Connectors 11
3.4.2 Sterilization 11
4μPA16 12
4.1 Pin Layout μPA16 13
4.1.1 Input Connector 13
4.1.2 Output Connector 14
4.2 Technical Specifications μPA16 15
5μPA32 16
5.1 Pin Layout μPA32 17
5.1.1 Input Connector 17
5.1.2 Output Connector 18
5.2 Technical Specifications μPA32 19
6Contact Information 20
Important Information and Instruction
1
1 Important Information and Instruction
1.1 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 or 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.
1.2 Guarantee 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 Guarantee 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.
Guarantee 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.
Inadequate 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.
Micro Preamplifier Manual
2
1.3 Important Safety Advice
Warning: Make sure to read the following advices prior to install or to use the device and the software.
If you do not fulfill all requirements stated below, this may lead to malfunctions or breakage of
connected hardware, or even fatal injuries.
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 device 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.
Any physical damage of the cable, such as a broken cable, causes a physical damage of the micro
preamplifier that cannot be repaired.
Protect the device from heat. Do not autoclave!
You can clean the connectors with distilled water in an ultrasonic bath, but keep the cable away
from the fluid. Dry the device with compressed air.
Use and keep the device always in a dry environment. Do not expose it to fluids or vapor for a longer
period of time.
3
2 Welcome to the μPA
The μPA micro preamplifier with 16 or 32 electrode inputs is connected to the microelectrode probes
for providing the initial tenfold amplification stage. Gain might be different from default value
according to customer specification. The use of a headstage preamplifier unit optimizes the signal to
noise ratio.
The micro preamplifier is equipped with an Omnetics socket for NeuroNexus probes. It has an additional
common ground and a 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.
The metal case provides electrical shielding. The very high input impedance ensures stable long-term
recordings.
Ideally, the input impedance would be infinite to minimize electrical current. As low voltages are
generally recorded, a high current would flow if the input impedance were low. As a result, the
amplifier would not be able to deliver the current, and the voltage would break down.
The micro preamplifier has a high input impedance to avoid this problem. Adapters for all standard
microelectrodes such as NeuroNexus probes (from NeuroNexus ®) for acute and chronic
implantations ensure a close proximity to the probe to minimize signal loss and cross talk. Adapters are
not included in the standard scope of delivery and have to be ordered separately. For custom adapters,
please ask your local retailer or contact Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH.
To start working with the μPA and to learn how to handle the system the ME/W Signal Generator
is a convenient tool. The ME/W Signal Generator can produce analogue signals identical to those from
a variety of biological samples and is therefore a convenient method to test the functionality of the
recording system. The ME/W-SG is not included in the standard scope of delivery and has to be ordered
separately. Please read the ME/W-SG data sheet for more information.
Micro Preamplifier Manual
4
3 Setting Up and Connecting the μPA
3.1 General Setup Recommendations
In the following, you find general recommendations for the installation.
Important: It is important that the complete setup refers to a single common ground. The reference
input has always to be connected. It is recommended to use a reference electrode. However, if you
are not using a reference electrode, connect the reference input to ground (GND). Otherwise, noise
picked up by the reference input will be subtracted from the recording signals. This will either lead to
signal loss or to a very high noise level.
1. Ground the animal with a ground electrode of large surface area, for example, a liquid gel adhesive
electrode, that is connected to the ground of the setup, for example, a large metal table or a Faraday
cage, to avoid pickup of noise from the environment. The ground electrode is best positioned in an
electrically inactive region not near muscle, nor heart, for example, at the belly.
2. Connect the GND input of the micro preamplifier to the common ground of the setup. The ground
input is internally connected to the metal case of the preamplifier.
5
3. Connect the reference electrode REF to the reference input of the micro preamplifier. Generally,
a reference electrode is inserted into non-active tissue of the experimental model. The reference
electrode should be identical to the recording electrode so that both electrodes see the same
background noise. This is necessary because despite the grounding, the animal’s body often has
not exactly a potential of zero, due to the electrode impedance, for example. The background noise
is then subtracted from the recording signal, increasing the signal to noise ratio. Please note that this
may not work if the complete setup is not properly grounded.
4. (Optional) If two reference electrodes are used, connect the second electrode to the free reference
input. Otherwise, leave it free. It is generally not necessary to use a second reference electrode. It can
be used to enlarge the surface area of the reference, though.
5. Connect all unused recording channels to the GND input or to the reference electrode, if ground and
reference are short circuited, to avoid picking up noise. As the total amplifier gain generally lies in the
range of 1000, even very small noise signals may generate high noise signals.
6. If you are not using a Faraday cage, it might be necessary to shield the complete setup with aluminum
foil or similar to prevent electrical interference from the outside. Connect the aluminum foil to the
ground of the setup, for example, the metal table.
Troubleshooting: If you observe problems with noise, check that the ground of the setup is connected
to exactly the same ground as the data acquisition computer. For example, connect the metal table
to the ground / earth wire of a free power outlet (of the same electrical system), as the computer is
generally connected to ground / earth via the power plug, too. Also, connect the data acquisition
computer’s metal case with a thick ground wire to the ground of the setup, for example the metal
table, preferably with a 4 mm plug.
Micro Preamplifier Manual
6
3.2 Multi Channel Experimenter
Double-click the Multi Channel Experimenter icon or select Multi Channel Experimenter from the "Start"
menu. The program starts. The main window opens automatically: "Multi Channel Experimenter
(Instance: 1)". It is possible to open up to four instances in parallel. Operation is independent for each
instance.
This is your virtual rack configuration in the "Experiment Setup" window, which is blank after program
start. On the left side five classes of instruments are provided: "Data Sources", "Recorder" and
"Stimulators" are hardware components. The virtual instruments available up to now are divided in
"General" and application specific "Neuro".
The header of the dialog contains five buttons: "Start DAQ", "Start Recording", "Load Experiment" and
"Save Experiment" in the main toolbar on the left and the "Menu" button on the right. In the bar down
under the "Recording Time" and the "DAQ Time" are registrated.
7
Building a Rack
It is very easy to build a rack: Please click onto the button of the desired instrument and move it via drag
and drop from the left to the right side of the main window!
It is also easy to connect the instruments: Please click onto one of the symbols on the lower part of
an instrument button to connect this output port via drag and drop with the input port (symbol on
the upper side) of the target instrument. Please read the next chapter.
Este manual sirve para los siguientes modelos
1
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