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A novel and inexpensive digital system for eye movement recordings using magnetic scleral search coils

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Abstract

After their introduction by Robinson (IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 10:137–145, 1963), magnetic scleral search coils quickly became an accepted standard for precise eye movement recordings. While other techniques such as video-oculography or electro-oculography may be more suitable for routine applications, search coils still provide the best low-noise and low-drift characteristics paired with the highest temporal and spatial resolution. The problem with search coils is that many research laboratories still have their large and expensive coil systems installed and are acquiring eye movement data with old, analog technology. Typically, the number of recording channels is limited and modifications to an existing search coil system can be difficult. We propose a system that allows to retro-fit an existing analog search coil system to become a digital recording system. The system includes digital data acquisition boards and a reference coil as the hardware part, receiver software, and a new calibration method. The circuit design has been kept simple and robust, and the proposed software calibration allows the calibration of a single coil within a few seconds.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Adrian Lasker, Michael Schubert, Georgios Mantokoudis, Angela Wenzel, Geraldine Zúñiga, Marcela Davalos and Carolina Treviño Guajardo for their contribution during the measurements and the development of the system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychological and Brain Sciences Department, Active Perception Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Karin Eibenberger

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Vienna, 1040, Vienna, Austria

    Karin Eibenberger

  3. Department of Otolaryngology and Head- and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Karin Eibenberger, Bernhard Eibenberger & John P. Carey

  4. Department of Medical Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, 4020, Linz, Austria

    Karin Eibenberger & Thomas Haslwanter

  5. Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Dale C. Roberts

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  1. Karin Eibenberger
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  2. Bernhard Eibenberger
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  3. Dale C. Roberts
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  4. Thomas Haslwanter
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  5. John P. Carey
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Correspondence to Karin Eibenberger.

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Eibenberger, K., Eibenberger, B., Roberts, D.C. et al. A novel and inexpensive digital system for eye movement recordings using magnetic scleral search coils. Med Biol Eng Comput 54, 421–430 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-015-1326-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-015-1326-3

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