User manual EMOTIV does not warrant, guarantee or make representations concerning the content of this document. All information is provided as is without express or implied warranties of any kind including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability, quality and title. EMOTIV reserves the right to change the content of this document and the features or functionalities of its products and services at any time without obligation to notify anyone of such changes. Copyright Copyright 2023 EMOTIV. All rights reserved. Brainwear is a registered trademark. Contents Safety Precautions Prcautions de Scurit Package Contents Flex controller Charging your Flex Charging the battery Flex Charging Behaviour Turning your Flex on Wires Color coding key Sensor montage Flex Gel Kit Ear clips Keeping the wires tidy Flex Saline Kit Hydrating the sensors felts Rehydrating the sensors during an experiment Keeping the wires tidy Pre-configured saline FlexCap FlexCap Choosing the right FlexCap Setting up the FlexCap Fitting the FlexCap to your participants head Inserting the sensors into the FlexCap Positioning Flex on the FlexCap How to fit Flex Tidying the sensor wires Connector and red wires on the right-hand side of the FlexCap Connector and blue wires on the left-hand side of the FlexCap Achieving a high signal quality using gel sensors Suitable electrolyte gels Preparing the gel sensors for your experiment Cleaning your participants skin Abrading your participants skin Filling the sensors with electrolyte gel Achieving a high signal quality using saline sensors 11 11 13 14 15 15 15 16 17 17 18 19 19 20 21 21 21 22 22 23 24 25 25 26 29 30 31 34 34 37 37 38 38 38 38 40 2 Cleaning the FlexCap and the sensors Cleaning the FlexCap Cleaning the FlexCap and gel sensors together Cleaning the gel sensors Cleaning the saline sensors Storing your Flex Troubleshooting Unable to get contact quality on any channel The input channel is always black Support EMOTIV Support EMOTIV Knowledge Base FAQs 41 41 41 42 42 43 45 45 45 46 46 46 46 3 Regulatory compliance EMOTIV products are intended to be used for research applications and personal use only. Our products are not sold as Medical Devices as dened in EU directive 93/42/EEC. Our products are not designed or intended to be used for diagnosis or treatment of disease. FCC ID Number 2ADIH-FLEX02 and IC ID Number 12769A-FLEX02 EMOTIV has tested Flex 2 and conrms:
This device complies with the radio equipment directive (2014/53/EU). This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. interference in a residential This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. Consult the dealer or experienced person for help. Please Note: Changes or modications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. 4 This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil numrique de la classe B est conforme la norme NMB-003 du Canada. This device contains licence-exempt transmitter(s)/receiver(s) that comply with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canadas licence-exempt RSS(s). Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference. 2. This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device. Lmetteur/rcepteur exempt de licence contenu dans le prsent appareil est conforme aux CNR dInnovation, Sciences et Dveloppement conomique Canada applicables aux appareils radio exempts de licence. Lexploitation est autorise aux deux conditions suivantes:
1. Lappareil ne doit pas produire de brouillage;
2. Lappareil doit accepter tout brouillage radiolectrique subi, mme si le brouillage est susceptible den compromettre le fonctionnement. Radiation Exposure Statement: This equipment complies with the IC RSS-102 radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum distance of 20 cm between the radiator and your body. nonc d'exposition aux rayonnements: Cet quipement est conforme aux limites d'exposition aux rayonnements ioniques RSS-102 Pour un environnement incontrl. Cet quipement doit tre install et utilis avec un Distance minimale de 20 cm entre le radiateur et votre corps. 5 Flex is a wireless control box ( Flex Controller) that works with EMOTIVs FlexCap system. It combines the wireless technology of EMOTIVs award-winning EPOC X headset, with the high-density and exibility found in traditional EEG head-cap systems. Flex has been designed for researchers who need exible sensor placement and/or a greater density of sensors for their research. The sensors can be placed in any location on the head or the ears using the ear clips (gel sensor kit only). Flexs features include:
Up to 32-channels EEG for high-density EEG coverage Choice of pre-congured* or non-congured sensors for easy set-up or exible positioning Choice of gel or saline-based sensors for optimal signal quality Wireless connectivity connect to your PC or Mac Rechargeable up to 9 hours of battery life Choice of cap sizes for a perfect t For the EMOTIV MN8 Quick Start Guide, go to https://www.emotiv.com/setup/ex/
6 Application compatibility compatible with:
7 Technical Specications Number of Channels Channel names Sampling Method Sampling Rate EEG Resolution Max Slew Rate Bandwidth Filtering 32 (plus CMS/DRL references) Congurable on standard 72 channel international 10-20 locations Sequential sampling. Single ADC 128 SPS (1024 Hz internal) 16 bits 1 LSB = 0.51V (16 bit ADC, 2 bits instrumental noise oor is discarded) 32.64uV/sample 0.2 - 45Hz, digital notch lters at 50Hz and 60Hz Built-in digital 5th order Sinc lter Dynamic Range (input referred) Coupling Mode Connectivity Battery Capacity Battery Life
+/- 4.12mV AC coupled Proprietary 2.4GHz wireless, BLE LiPo battery 595mAh Up to 9 hours Impedance Measurement Real-time contact quality using a patented system IMU Part Motion Sampling Motion Resolution Sensor Material ICM-20948 3-axis Accelerometer, 3-axis Gyroscope, 3-axis Magnetometer. Data output 10 channels Quaternions, (Q0, Q1, Q2, Q3), Acceleration (X,Y,Z) and Magnetometer
(X,Y,Z) 16 Hz 8-bit output Sintered Ag/AgCl ( Flex gel kitl) can be used with any EEG gel Electroplated Ag/AgCl ( Flex saline kit) with replaceable polyester felt pads that can be sterilized and re-used (bulk pack available to buy from the EMOTIV store) 8 Safety Precautions Flex is a consumer product; it is not intended to be used as a medical device or in hazardous environments. Flex is designed for use at room temperature; rapid changes in temperature will affect the performance of the ampliers and increase the noise oor. WARNING: Do not submerge Flex in water. Every effort has been made to stop water entering Flex and protect the electronics inside. However, Flex is not waterproof. WARNING:
Flex is powered by a lithium-polymer battery that is rated for operation in <50c environments. It is not user-replaceable. If you suspect that there is a fault with the battery, please contact EMOTIV Support. WARNING: Do not open the Flex enclosure. Doing so will void the warranty and can damage the headset. WARNING: Do not charge Flex while wearing the device. If you want to operate while tethered, we recommended using Flex with Extender. Prcautions de Scurit Flex est un produit de consommation; il n'est pas destin tre utilis comme appareil mdical ou dans des environnements dangereux. Flex est conu pour une utilisation temprature ambiante; des changements rapides de temprature affecteront les performances des amplicateurs et augmenteront le bruit de fond. AVERTISSEMENT: ne plongez pas l' Flex dans l'eau. Tous les efforts ont t faits pour empcher l'eau de pntrer dans l' Flex et protger l'lectronique l'intrieur. Cependant, Flex n'est pas tanche. AVERTISSEMENT: Flex est aliment par une batterie au lithium polymre conue pour fonctionner dans des environnements <50c. Il n'est pas remplaable par l'utilisateur. Si vous pensez qu'il y a un problme avec la batterie, veuillez contacter le support EMOTIV. 9 AVERTISSEMENT: n'ouvrez pas le botier du l' Flex. Cela annulerait la garantie et pourrait endommager l' Flex. AVERTISSEMENT: ne chargez pas l' Flex lorsque vous portez l'appareil. Si vous souhaitez fonctionner en mode connect, nous vous recommandons d'utiliser Flex avec Extender. 10 Getting Started Package Contents
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1. 11 Flex controller Your Flex ( Flex controller) has 16 channels on the left + CMS* input. It has 16 channels on the right + DRL* output. The channels are connected in two rows: rows A-H and J-Q, with an empty position above the CMS/DRL. The power switch is located next to the USB connector, on the bottom edge of the unit. Turn it to the right to turn on and left to turn it off. There is a multifunctional LED located below the logo to indicate charging or power on.
*CMS = common mode signal DRL = driven right leg 12 Charging your Flex Your Flex is charged and tested before shipping so you can start using it straight away. Charging the battery To optimize the use of your Flex, we recommend that you fully charge it before making recordings. If the ON/OFF LED is not blue when you turn your Flex on, it requires charging. To charge the battery, plug the USB charging cable into the USB port located on the right-hand side of the headset. Then, connect the other end of the USB charging cable to a power outlet or your PC/Mac. The length of time it takes to fully recharge the Flex controller depends on the remaining capacity of the lithium polymer battery. Charging can take up to four hours. Charging the battery is faster if you connect your Flex to a dedicated USB port. If your Flex is unused for a long period of time, the battery will become heavily depleted of charge. If this happens, you may need to charge your headset for 24-hours. If you have any issues charging your Flex, please contact the EMOTIV Support team. Flex Charging Behaviour Charging Charging Complete
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When Flex is charging the orange LED is displayed. When Flex is fully charged the LED turns green. 13 Turning your Flex on Power OFF Power ON
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When Flex is turned off the LED will not be illuminated. To turn Flex on press the power button. When you do this, a blue LED next to the button will illuminate and the headset will beep. 14 Flex Sensors and wires Wires Your Flex kit includes 34 sensors; connected to 16 red wires, 16 blue wires and two black wires. The wires are color-coded to make it easier to identify the channel name in EmotivPRO and nd the corresponding sensor on the cap. For example, if the contact quality is low on channel LA, this will correspond with the blue A wire. Color coding key Wire color Red Blue Black Reason Right wires Left wires References Each wire is labeled with the channel letter it is connected to. All of the wires are crimped with a JST gold plated crimp. This improves the signal quality before the wires are connected to Flex. The sensor wires included in your Flex kit come in two lengths the wires for channels A-G
(front of FlexCap) are 300mm in length, and the wires for channels J-Q (back of FlexCap) are 150mm. The different wire lengths minimize excess while allowing for any sensor conguration. 15 Sensor montage Below is the sensor montage for the pre-congured FlexCap. This montage matches the default conguration in EmotivPRO and provides good coverage across the head. 16 Flex Gel Kit The Flex gel kit includes 34 multi-rode gel sensors. The sensors are made from sintered Silver/Silver Chloride to minimize sensor impedance and ensure they are fully compatible with gel electrolytes. Each sensor wire is crimped and tted to the connector housing. The wires are labeled A-G and J-Q. Multi-rode gel sensor Ear clips The Flex Gel Kit includes two ear clips to hold the sensors in place on the ears. The clips can be removed once the gel has hardened on the ears. 17 Keeping the wires tidy The sensor wires are designed to be long enough to reach any position on the Flex Cap. If your research involves minimizing motion artifacts, its important to keep excess wires secured. Once all of the sensors are tted to the FlexCap, we recommend using the tagger pins and tagger tool to tidy up the wiring. Another option is to place a shower cap or swimming cap over the top of the FlexCap. This will also reduce wire movement. 18 Flex Saline Kit The Flex saline kit includes 34-saline sensors. Each sensor electrode is silver/silver chloride plated and has three prongs that grip the felt pad the same way as EPOC X. Hydrating the sensors felts To hydrate the sensor felts, place them in a glass then add the saline solution and soak. When the sensor felts are fully soaked, remove them from the glass and squeeze out the excess uid. They are now ready to be inserted into the sensors. Rehydrating the sensors during an experiment The saline sensors will start to dry out during an experiment. The length of time they take to dry out will depend on the environment youre working in. You will see in EmotivPRO that the contact quality will change from green to orange. The saline sensors are designed to be relled while theyre in use. This can be done through an opening at the top of each sensor; this means your participant doesnt have to take the FlexCap off during the experiment. We also recommend adding a few drops of glycerine to your saline solution. Doing this will slow down the time it takes for the sensor felts to dry out. 19 Keeping the wires tidy The sensor wires are designed to be long enough to reach any position on the Flex Cap. If your research involves minimizing motion artifacts, its important to keep excess wires secured. Once all of the sensors are tted to the FlexCap, we recommend using the tagger pins and tagger tool to tidy up the wiring. Another option is to place a shower cap or swimming cap over the top of the FlexCap. This will also reduce wire movement. Pre-congured saline FlexCap EMOTIV offers a pre-congured saline FlexCap, with all 32 sensors tted as per the default layout in EmotivPRO. The wires are cut to the right length and tied down. This means you can quickly set up the FlexCap and start taking recordings. 20 FlexCap The FlexCap follows the 10-20 system and has 72 positions. The cap has two pockets for securing Flex to the FlexCap one is below Cz and the other is lz. The FlexCap is made from black high comfort material and is available in sizes 54cm, 56cm and 58cm. A pre-congured version of the FlexCap is also available in the 56cm size only. If you need a different size, hole position, material or cut, please contact EMOTIV Support. 21 Choosing the right FlexCap Choosing the right FlexCap for your study is essential for achieving the best measurements. To choose the right size of FlexCap for your participant, measure their head circumference horizontally, as shown in the image below. Once you have their measurement, choose a FlexCap from the range of sizes available 54cm, 56cm and 58cm sizes (whichever size is closest to their head circumference). 22 Setting up the FlexCap Fitting the FlexCap to your participants head The FlexCap can be tted to your participant's head in the same way that you would t a swimming cap. Place the FlexCap over your participant's forehead, then stretch it to the back of their head. Make sure their ears are placed in the ear holes and the pocket for Flex is at the back of the head. If your participant has long hair, make sure that it is spread out evenly across their head so that there are no thick sections. Your participants hair must not be tied up during the experiment. When the FlexCap is tted to your participants head, your participant should feel the pressure of each sensor against their scalp. If they do not feel pressure from the sensors on their scalp and there is not enough tension in the FlexCap, then try using a smaller FlexCap for your experiment or move the chin strap on their chin and not place it under it. 23 Inserting the sensors into the FlexCap To insert the sensors into the FlexCap, we recommend placing the FlexCap onto a mannequin head and inserting the sensors through the openings, before placing onto your participants head. It can take up to an hour to insert all of the sensors into the openings of your chosen sensor conguration. Step 1 Hold the underside of the FlexCap and stretch the material around the hole you are going to insert the sensor into. Step 2 There are two ways to insert the sensors into the FlexCap. Always ensure that the felt pad of the sensor is facing inwards, towards the scalp, before inserting. 1. To insert the sensor, push it upwards through the hole, then release the tension in the material so that it ts around the bottom half of the sensor;
or 2. Turn the FlexCap inside out, then stretch the hole over the sensor, then let the material retract into place, around the plastic groove of the sensor. 24 The majority of the sensor should be on the outside of the FlexCap and the felt pad should be on the inside where it will rest against your participants scalp during your study. Do not force the sensor into the opening. Step 3 Adjust the material around the sensor until it is fully xed in place. Repeat these three steps for all of the sensors in your chosen conguration. 25 26 Positioning Flex on the FlexCap There are two places on the FlexCap that Flex can be positioned at the top (Cz) or at the rear of the FlexCap (see images below). If youre doing a sleep study or your participant needs a headrest (e.g. they use a wheelchair), we recommend that you position Flex at the top of the FlexCap. 27 How to t Flex 1. Choose the position you want Flex to be in. 2. Place Flex in the pocket with the EMOTIV logo facing towards you. 3. Stretch the fabric of the FlexCap over Flex and around the edge of the EMOTIV logo (the circle). 4. Your Flex is now secured into place and ready to be used. The FlexCap fabric being stretched over the Control Box to secure it into place. 28 Tidying the sensor wires Once you've inserted all of the sensors into the FlexCap, we recommend that you use the tagger pins and tagger tool, included with your Flex kit, to tidy up the wires by sewing them into place. Another option is to place the FlexCap over the top of the wires to keep them secure. Securing the wires in place will reduce any movement from being picked up by the sensors. 29 30 Connecting the sensors to Flex Take the white connector at the end of the red wires and plug it into the right-hand side of Flex. Repeat this process for the blue wires on the left-hand side. Double-check that all of your wires are in the right place. 31 Connector and red wires on the right-hand side of the FlexCap Connector and blue wires on the left-hand side of the FlexCap 32 Customizing the sensor wires The number of sensors and wire positions for Flex is exible. As a default, all 32 sensors + 2 references are tted to the two connectors. On the left-hand side are 16 blue sensor wires and the black CMS wire. On the right-hand side are 16 red sensor wires and the black DRL wire. The sensor names (A-Q) match the pin positions (A-Q) on the connector, as shown below. The connectors have an empty position above the black reference wires. This is because the connectors are standard 18 position connectors, but only 17 positions are loaded with wires for Flex. Please do not insert the connector into the empty position. The connectors are standard 18 position connectors but only 17 positions are loaded with wires, this leaves one empty spot on each connector which is located above the black reference wire. Sensors that you dont need for your experimental montage can be removed. 33 Removing unneeded sensors from the connector To remove unneeded sensors:
1. Use a thin-at screwdriver or tweezers to lift up the plastic tab(s) on the connector. Lifting the tab will release the crimp locking mechanism. 2. Pull the wire until you see the gold color of the crimp. 3. Then remove the reference wire. Inserting sensors into the connector To insert a sensor wire into the connector:
1. Place the crimp lock upwards, 2. Insert and then pull the wire to ensure its locked in place. 34 Achieving a high signal quality using gel sensors To achieve a high signal quality, you need to minimize impedance between the gel sensors and the scalp. Here are some tips to help you achieve the best quality signal:
Your participant should not use hair gel or other additives before tting the sensors as these products can cause impedances. When you are cleaning the sensors or adding gel to the sensors, make sure you have enough light to see what youre doing. Clean and abrade the skin under each sensor, then apply the electrolytic gel. You can use any conductive gel on the sensors, but some gels are better suited due to their viscosity or for a particular experiment. For example, when conducting a sleep study, its important to use a gel that takes a long time to dry out. Suitable electrolyte gels The gel sensors can be used with salty or salt-free electrolytes. Here is a list of suitable products that you can use:
SuperVisc (clear, high-viscosity, salty) Lectron III-10 (clear, medium-viscosity, salty) Abralyt HiCl (abrasive, high-viscosity, salty) Abralyt 2000 (abrasive, high-viscosity, non-salty) Nuprep Gel (abrasive, high viscosity, non-salty) Ten20 (opaque, high-viscosity, salty) 35 Preparing the gel sensors for your experiment When preparing gel sensors for your experiment, you will need the following items:
Wooden cotton swabs, Isopropyl alcohol 70%, Abrasive electrolyte gel, such as Abralyt 2000, Conductive electrolyte gel, such as SuperVisc or Ten20, A plastic syringe without a needle (20ml), and Tissues to remove excess gel. Cleaning your participants skin 1. Move the hair below the sensor opening to one side, ensuring you have clear access to the scalp 2. Add isopropyl alcohol to a cotton swab 3. Gently rotate the tip of the cotton swab on your participants scalp to degrease the skin. Abrading your participants skin 1. Dip a cotton swab in abrasive gel. 2. Place the cotton swab into the sensor opening and rotate it gently on your participants scalp to abrade the skin. Do not apply too much pressure to your participants scalp. This process should be painless and should not irritate the skin. Filling the sensors with electrolyte gel 1. Open the sensor, 2. Fill a syringe with electrolyte gel, 36 3. Insert the syringe into the open sensor and then push the gel out of it. When you're doing this, ensure that you make contact between the scalp and the sensor. Most electrolyte gels take a few minutes to permeate the skin. Check the signal quality in EmotivPRO after each sensor is prepared. The contact quality should be green. 37 Achieving a high signal quality using saline sensors To achieve the best quality signal, you need to minimize impedance between the saline sensors and the scalp. Here are some tips to help you achieve the best quality signal:
Ensure that your participant has washed their hair before your experiment. They should not use hair conditioner, or add other additives, to their hair before the experiment as these products can cause impedances. When you are cleaning the sensors or adding the gel to the sensors, make sure you have enough light to see what youre doing. 38 Cleaning the FlexCap and the sensors Cleaning the FlexCap You can clean the FlexCap in a washing machine at 30c using a mild detergent. When its clean, allow it to air dry. You can also hand wash the FlexCap with a mild detergent, such as childrens shampoo. After handwashing it, rinse the FlexCap with clean water, then remove excess water with a paper towel and air dry. Do not put the FlexCap in the dryer. Do not iron the FlexCap. Do not disinfect or bleach the FlexCap. Strong oxidizing agents or bleach can reduce the life of the FlexCap. Cleaning the FlexCap and gel sensors together When you have nished your experiment, you can wash the FlexCap and sensors together to avoid removing and reinserting the sensors between experiments. To do this you need to:
Remove the FlexCap, with the sensors attached, from your participant Unplug and remove the Flex Controller from the FlexCap and place to one side Put the connectors in a bag and seal it with a rubber band. Doing this will protect the connectors from accidental splashes whilst youre holding them out of the water. Handwash the FlexCap and sensors using a mild detergent, such as childrens shampoo. Allow the FlexCap and sensors to air dry before your next experiment. 39 Cleaning the gel sensors After youve nished your experiment, you must clean the sensors immediately. Doing this will stop the electrolyte gel drying out. You can do this quickly by rinsing the sensors under a running tap to remove the gel residue. If you do not remove the gel from the sensors, it can impede the quality of the signals. If the gel does dry out, soak the sensors in water for 30 seconds and then rinse again or rub with a soft toothbrush. If the gel is difcult to remove, try soaking the sensors in water with a mild detergent (such as baby shampoo). After soaking, rinse the sensors under a running tap and dry the sensors with a towel or tissue. Do not soak the gel sensors in saline solution or chloride. Doing this can result in the sensors becoming corroded. Do not autoclave or use other hot sterilization methods as this can damage the wire insulation. Cleaning the saline sensors Saline sensors should only be subjected to saltwater while they are in use. After use, you must rinse the sensors in clean water to remove the salty residue. Doing this will prolong the life of the sensors. After rinsing, dry the sensors with a towel or tissue. 40 Storing your Flex When your Flex is not in use, remove all the sensors from the FlexCap and ensure that everything is clean and dry before storing them. Do not leave the sensor felts in the saline sensors. Leaving wet sensor felts in the saline sensors will corrode the sensors. Store used sensor felts separately to unused ones. Replacement sensor felt packs can be purchased from the EMOTIV online store 41 42 Troubleshooting Unable to get contact quality on any channel There could be two reasons for this happening:
1. The sensor trees are not plugged into your Flex ; or 2. The references are not connected to your participant. Please make sure there is contact with both DRL and CMS. The input channel is always black There could be two reasons for this happening:
1. There is no contact quality (see above); or 2. There could be an error with your Flex. If this is the case, please contact EMOTIV Support. 3. 43 Support EMOTIV Support If you are encountering problems with your Flex, or have any technical questions, the EMOTIV Support team can assist you. Visit the Contact Support page of the EMOTIV website and submit your query. EMOTIV Knowledge Base EMOTIV Knowledge Base provides useful information and solutions for common tasks related to EMOTIVs headsets, software and user accounts. FAQs EMOTIVs FAQs provide answers to some of the most common questions asked by the EMOTIV community. 44 45