Wireless EEG recording for freely moving rodents
Record EEG and EMG without tethers, receivers, or RF transmission.
The ELG Data Logger stores data directly on a lightweight onboard recorder, supporting long-term studies with minimal impact on animal movement and behavior.
Clean, low-noise recordings
Shielded amplification helps minimize electrical and motion-related artifacts.
Lightweight for freely moving rodents
Supports sleep, seizure, and behavioral studies without movement restriction.
Simple onboard recording
Records directly to microSD with no receivers or tethering hardware required.
Why researchers are moving beyond tethered EEG
Recording EEG and EMG in freely moving animals is essential for studying sleep, seizures, and neurological disorders. Traditional tethered systems can restrict movement and introduce cable-related artifacts, particularly during long-term studies.
The ELG Data Logger records data directly to a microSD card on a lightweight headstage, eliminating cables and enabling low-noise recordings without receivers or RF transmission.
Comparing tethered, telemetry, and onboard EEG recording
Different EEG recording approaches offer unique advantages depending on study requirements.
Tethered systems provide real-time monitoring and straightforward synchronization, wireless telemetry systems improve mobility through RF transmission, and onboard recorders such as the ELG Data Logger prioritize low-noise data collection without cables or receivers.
| Feature | Tethered Systems | Wireless Telemetry | ELG Data Logger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal Transmission | Cable connection | RF transmission | Local storage on microSD |
| Animal Mobility | Restricted by tether | High | Maximum |
| Motion Artifacts | Possible from cable movement | Reduced | Minimized |
| RF Interference | None | Possible | None |
| Real-Time Monitoring | Yes | Yes | No |
| Recording Duration | Continuous | Battery limited | Battery limited |
| Experimental Setup | Tether, commutator, acquisition system | Transmitter and receiver | Logger and battery only |
| Best For | Real-time synchronization | Untethered monitoring | Low-noise, long-term studies |
Not sure which EEG approach is right for your study?
Our team can help you evaluate tethered, telemetry, and onboard recording strategies based on your research goals.
Download the free EEG research guide
Learn how wireless EEG recording can help reduce common challenges associated with tethered systems in rodent research.
What You’ll Learn
✓ Challenges of tethered EEG recording
✓ Benefits and limitations of wireless approaches
✓ Considerations for sleep and seizure research
✓ Data analysis and sharing workflows
Why Researchers Choose ELG
Researchers use the ELG Data Logger to collect EEG and EMG data in freely moving animals
without the constraints of tethers, receivers, or RF transmission.
Freely Moving Studies
Lightweight onboard recording supports behavioral, sleep, and seizure research.
Low-Noise Data
Shielded electronics and onboard storage help minimize electrical interference.
Long-Duration Recording
Battery options support studies ranging from several hours to multiple days.
Sleep Study Compatible
Compatible with SleepSign® software (sold separately) for automated sleep-stage classification and analysis.
Multi-Animal Research
No RF channels or receivers to manage when scaling experiments.
Simple Setup
Logger, battery, and electrodes—without commutators, tethers, or receivers.
What Researchers Are Saying
There is no other system which meets my requirements for wireless operation, channel count, and usability with mice.
Everything You Need to Get Started with EEG and EMG
The ELG Data Logger system includes the core components needed for EEG and EMG recording in mice or rats, including the logger, battery, charger, electrodes, and analysis software.
Included Components
- ELG Data Logger
- MicroSD card
- Charger
- Small or large battery for mouse or rat studies
- Universal 1.27 mm pitch 5-pin electrode connectors
- EEG screws, GND screw, and EMG silver wires
- Data analysis software
EEG screws and EMG wires are surgically implanted using standard stereotaxic procedures for stable, long-term recordings.
Extended Battery Life for Long-Term Studies
The ELG Data Logger supports up to 26 hours of recording in mice and up to 70 hours in rats, depending on configuration.
External rechargeable batteries are easy to replace, allowing longer studies with minimal disruption.
Simple onboard EEG & EMG recording
The ELG Data Logger records EEG and EMG data directly to a microSD card on the headstage, eliminating cables, receivers, and RF transmission during acquisition. Researchers can focus on the experiment while the system continuously records data for later review and analysis.
Data analysis for EEG & EMG recordings
The ELG Data Logger includes analysis software for reviewing EEG and EMG recordings, visualizing data, and exporting files for additional processing. Researchers can quickly inspect recordings and share data using common file formats without recurring software licensing fees.
Included analysis software
- Review and visualize EEG and EMG recordings
- Filter and inspect recorded signals
- Export recordings to EDF and TXT formats
- Compatible with Matlab® and Octave workflows
- Install on multiple computers without additional licensing fees
Flexible data export and analysis
ELG Data Logger recordings are stored in a simple binary format and can be used with Matlab®, Octave, and other compatible analysis tools. Sample Matlab code is included to support custom workflows.
Data can also be exported to EDF or TXT formats directly from the included ELG analysis software, making it easy to share recordings and incorporate ELG into existing EEG and EMG analysis workflows.
Sample of scored results of sleep analysis.
Advanced sleep analysis with SleepSign®
For researchers performing sleep studies, ELG recordings can be analyzed using SleepSign® sleep analysis software (sold separately).
SleepSign supports:
Automated Wake / REM / NonREM classification
FFT and frequency-domain analysis
Artifact review and correction
Sleep-stage scoring workflows
Compatibility with multiple EEG/EMG acquisition systems
Types of research using telemetric studies in mice and rats
Designed for chronic EEG/EMG in freely moving mice and rats
Sleep Research
Epilepsy Models
Migraine Studies
Neurological Disorders
Research animals in epilepsy models
Discovering new treatments for seizures/epilepsy depends on EEG research in animal studies. The ELG Data Logger is highly sensitive to EEG signals, easily distinguishing seizures with high precision. This small, but robust EEG recording device is well-tolerated by mice and rats, making it a reliable method of functional brain mapping in rodents.
The screw-type electrodes maintain stable contact throughout seizures, ensuring reliable spike and waveform detection.
ELG data logger specifications | |
|---|---|
| Configuration | Wireless, no receivers or bases required. |
| Number of Channels | Up to 7 |
| Weight | 2 g – 5 g (Half the weight of competitors’ EEG recording devices.) |
| System Components | Logger (Electrode) Charger with Universal 5 pin connector Small battery or Large battery EEG screws (2) GND screw (1) EMG silver wires (2) Data Analysis software MicroSD card (not included) |
| Communication | EEG and EMG monitoring recorded to removable microSD card on the headstage. Simultaneous recording of brain and muscle activity in communication studies. |
| Battery Life | Up to 26-hour battery life for mice and 70 hours of battery life for rats, depending on configuration. |
| Compatibility | Onboard wireless recording minimizes susceptibility to environmental electrical noise, eliminating the need for a Faraday cage in most standard cages, racks, and behavioral environments. Works well with mice, rats, NHPs, and other small animals. |
| Software | Seamless sharing of data with free software that can be installed on multiple computers. The highly compatible binary data format of EEG/EMG analysis software. |
| Customizable | Custom electrodes available. Call (858) 225-6869 for details. |
Have questions about electrodes, channels, or battery life?
Tethered EEG systems often introduce challenges such as cable disconnection, motion artifacts, and restricted behavior, which can compromise long-term studies.
Challenges of tethered EEG systems
Every neuroscience researcher has seen the challenges presented when working with tethered research animals. From stress to boredom, escape attempts and wire gnawing, these behaviors resulting from wired experiments can all lead to artifacts and failed experiments.
Wireless neuroscience research solutions, such as the ELG Data Logger for EEG and EMG recording and data analysis, help to eliminate the costly delays of breaking a tether.
“Enhanced setup for wired continuous long-term EEG monitoring in juvenile and adult rats: application for epilepsy and other disorders.” Click for the article.
| Amuza’s ELG-2 Wireless Datalogger | Tethered EEG Equipment | |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior | Wireless allows for less restrictions in animal motion and behavior. | Tethers alter the behavior of the animals affecting data. |
| Artifacts | Shielded headstage and on-board amplification eliminate 60 Hz and motion-induced noise. | Poor signal-to-noise ratios with cables that act as antennae, causing artifacts in data. |
| Faraday Cages | No need for Faraday cages, which become inconvenient with multiple animal studies. | Often requires Faraday cage to limit noise from external sources. |
| Scalability | Unlimited — no RF transmitters or channel limits. | |
| Implant Surgery | The flexible design allows for a simple, minimally invasive implantation. Small screw-type electrodes are secured to the skull surface without the need for complex PCB-based assemblies. | Requires more complex PCB-based electrode implantation, with longer surgery times and increased risk of mechanical stress or disconnection. |
With the wireless ELG Data Logger the well-shielded headstage creates a low noise setting. This allows the device to work effectively in high-density housing environments – noise does not affect neighboring cages. The lightweight wireless device functions well in social housing as the mice can freely interact. High throughput, high success rates are obtained from recordings from the ELG Data Logger electrodes.
Planning a Rodent EEG Study?
Whether you’re evaluating tethered, telemetry, or onboard recording approaches,
our team can help identify the best solution for your experimental goals.