Neurofeedback Equipment for Professional and Home Use

Devices for measuring and giving Neurofeedback Equipment of EEG brainwave activity is not new.  Some have been available commercially since the 1970s.  The first one that I was introduced to was housed in a wooden box and had an analog meter, a training frequency selector for Alpha, Theta, or Beta, a threshold setting, and audio feedback – very simple.  It did not interface with a computer and there was no data storage or report available.   This was around 1985.  Since then much has changed.  Those devices began to be interfaced with computers for better feedback and the added capabilities of data storage and reports.

Other systems have come along that only work with a computer with no feedback on the device that you plug the sensor cables into.  Now there are some that work with smart phones and tablets like one called The Muse.

Though the early systems recorded from only one site on the head at a time, now many of the professional systems record 19 or more sites simultaneously like the Brainmaster Discovery.

Professional neurofeedback equipment is classified by the FDA as a class 2 medical device and can only be purchased by a licensed healthcare professional or on the order of one for a patient to use at home under supervision.  Other neurofeedback equipment is designed for use by non-professionals and are not intended to treat any medical or mental health conditions.  They are only to be used for relaxation and education purposes.

Professional neurofeedback equipment is made by reputable companies that have registered with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) so that they can legally sell the equipment.  As a licensed healthcare professional you would not want to use equipment with your clients that is not legal.

This type of equipment tends to be much more precise than devices designed for non-professionals.  They allow you to test impedance which shows the quality of the electrical contact between the skin and the sensors.  They also should display the real raw electrical signal on the screen so that you can see if you are recording a clean signal or if artifact (noise) is present.  Professional equipment takes a fair amount of knowledge about EEG recording and the brain to operate properly.  Home devices because they are designed for non-professionals are designed to be simpler to operate.  Many of the features and options that are included in professional neurofeedback equipment is not available in home instruments.  This does not mean that you can get the same results with a home device as you can working with a professional with professional equipment.  The feedback provided on a home device is only as good as the signal it is based on.  If the signal is full of noise because of poor skin preparation, sensor or amplifier quality, sensor placement, or other reasons then the feedback is false feedback and not an accurate representation of changes in brain activity.

If you are planning to purchase professional or home neurofeedback equipment do your homework and get advice from an experienced neurofeedback provider.

Harry L. Campbell, BPS, BCB, BCN

President, Biofeedback Resources International Corp.

Author of What Stress Can Do, Available on Amazon.com