Biopotential

Biopotentials are the results of electrochemical

activities of excitable cells, which are the
components of nervous, muscular or glandular
tissue.

Na+: 10 times higher outside than inside

K+: 40 times greater inside than outside
Cl-: 30 times higher outside than inside

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Biopotential

Cell membrane potential is the difference between intercellular potential and

extracellular potential.

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Biopotential
Nernst Equation:

RT [ K ]o
Ek
ln
nF [ K ]i
Goldman Equation:

RT Pk [k ]o PNa [ Na ]o PCl [Cl ]i

E
ln

F Pk [k ]i PNa [ Na ]i PCl [Cl ]o

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

State of Excitable Cell

There are two states of the excitable cell:

Images from
http://www.gregalo.com/action_potential.jpg

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Propagation of Action Potential

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Propagation of Action Potential

Myelinated transduction
BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Volume Conductor

The three dimensional conducting medium

composed of tissue is referred as volume
conductor. The source of electrical signals
are the excitable cells serving the current
sources.

http://www.cvphysiology.com/Arrhythmias/A014.htm
BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Sinoatrial node (SA)
Atrioventrical Node (AV)
Bundle of His
Common Bundle
Purkinje fiber
Rest of the heart

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

EEG is the electrical activity of the brain.

EEG can be recorded using three
different types of electrodes

Scalp electrodes
Cortical electrodes (electrocorticogram)
Depth electrodes

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Types of EEG (Alpha waves)

Alpha waves are rhythmic waves in the frequency range of 8-12
Hz arising from synchronous and coherent (in phase / constructive)
electrical activity of large groups of neurons in the human brain.
They are found in EEGs when a normal person is in a quiet, resting
state and are most intense in the occipital area.

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Types of EEG (beta waves)

Beta waves normally occur in the frequency range of 14 to
30 Hz and could be as high as 50Hz during intense mental
activity.

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Types of EEG (theta waves)

Theta waves have frequency range of 4 to 7 Hz. They mainly occur
in the parietal and temporal regions in children. They can also occur
in adults during emotional stress.

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Types of EEG (delta waves)

Delta waves include all the waves in EEG below 3.5 Hz. They
occur in deep sleep, in infancy and in serious organic brain
disease.

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Other Biopotentials

Electromyogram (EMG): electrical

activities of skeletal muscle.
Electroretinogram (ERG): electrical
activities of retina stimulated with light.

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Biopotential Electrode

Electrode/Electrolyte interface
Half cell potential
Polarization of electrode
Electrode circuit model.

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Biopotential Electrodes
Electrolyte

Electrode

C+
C

e-

e-

A-

C
C

AC+

The electrode consists of metallic atoms C. The electrolyte is

an aqueous solution containing cations of the electrode metal
C+ and anions A-.
BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Electrode Electrolyte Interface

C Cn+ + neAm- A + meAssuming the electrode has same material as cation in the
electrolyte, the electrode material becomes oxidized to form a
cation and one or more electrons. The electrons remain as the
charge carrier in the electrode. The anion can also be oxidized at
the electrode to form a neutral atom and release one or two
electrons to the electrode. The reverse of the above reaction is
reduction. It controls the movement of electrons in the opposite
direction.
BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Half-cell Potential
Half-cell potential

Electrolyte

Electrode
+

+
+

When the electrode is inserted into the electrolyte, the

concentration of cations and anions at the interface
changes. As the result, there is an electric potential
difference between the electrolyte surrounding the
electrode and the electrolyte in other places. The
difference is called half-cell potential, which cannot be
measured.
BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Polarization
Ohmic overpotential

Concentration overpotential

Total overpotential

Activation overpotential

When current passes through the

electrode-electrolyte interface, it changes
the half-cell potential. The change is
called overpotential and it has three
components
BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Nernst Equation
When two aqueous ionic solutions of different concentration
are separated by an ion-selective semi-permeable membrane,
an electric potential exists across the membrane and is given
by Nernst equation.

a
RT
0
C aD
EE
ln
nF aA aB
For the general oxidation-reduction reaction:

A B C D ne

Where E : Half Cell Potential

E0 : Standard Half Cell Potential
a : activity of cations
n : Number of electrons
BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Polarizable and Non-Polarizable Electrodes

Perfectly Polarizable Electrodes

No actual charge crosses the electrode-electrolyte

interface when a current is applied. The current
across the interface is a displacement current and
the electrode behaves like a capacitor.

Perfectly Nonpolarizable Electrode

Current passes freely across the electrodeelectrolyte interface, requiring no energy to make
the transition. These electrodes see no
overpotentials.

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Silver/Silver Chloride Electrode

Ag Ag e
Ag Cl AgCl

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

RT Ks
EE
ln

nF aCl
0
Ag

Instructor: Wei Lin

Equivalent Circuit Model for Electrode

Rd

Rs

Ehc
Cd

Ehc: half cell potential

Rd and Cd: the impedance associated with the electrode-electrolyte interface
Rs: the series resistance associated with interface effects and the resistance
in the electorlyte.

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Electrode Skin Interface and Motion Artifact

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Surface electrode

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Micro electrode

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Electrode Arrays

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin

Electric stimulation of Tissue

BME 313 Bioinstrumentation

Instructor: Wei Lin