A Wireless Headstage Prototype Based on a Neurorecorder IC

In this work, we present a prototype for a wireless headstage intended for in-vivo recording of neural signals. It allows 1.4 Mbit/s wireless recording from a previously reported 32 channel neurorecorder IC in the LFP (local field potential) and AP (action potential) band. The prototype is currently configured for simultaneous recording and transmission of 8 LFP channels, allowing to connect to tiny chronically implanted electrode connectors in mice. The small weight of 3.2 g and an area of 23 x 20 mm
²
makes the headstage suitable for small rodents. The low system power consumption of 12.6 mW allows a sufficiently long battery life of almost 6 hours from a standard LIR1254 button cell battery. To allow the examination of a correlation between neural activity and external stimuli, the system enables to synchronize the time base of external signals and recorded neural activity.