Got my BCI to work better by changing the electrode gel brand

I was using the NeuroLink starter kit for a month and my signal quality was always around 60%. I switched to a cheaper gel called SynapseGel from a lab in Austin, and my accuracy jumped to 85% on the same spelling task. It seems the conductivity makes a huge difference. Has anyone else had a big improvement just from switching the consumable?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryan_nelson4mo ago

Wow, that's a huge jump just from the gel! Did you have to change how much you use or the prep routine at all?

cole_davis474mo ago

Ryan_nelson, I basically had to learn how to use gel all over again. My old routine just made a sticky mess with this stronger stuff. I cut the amount in half and really work it into damp hair now. The hold is so much better that I can actually get through a whole day without it falling apart.

patriciam222mo ago

Funny you mention the prep, because that's actually the part nobody's talking about here. I tried SynapseGel too and yeah the conductivity is better, but what @cole_davis47 said about the hair thing is real. The problem I ran into was that the gel dries way faster than the NeuroLink stuff if you don't really mash it into the scalp. I ended up putting a tiny bit of water on the pad before applying the gel, like a drop or two, and it kept it from crusting up after an hour. The signal stayed clean for almost 4 hours that way, even with my greasy hair.