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Intan Headstage Pinouts

This document provides reference information for Intan headstage electrode connector pinouts, which is useful when creating the electrode_layout_frame in blech_exp_info.py.

Official Intan Resources

For complete and up-to-date information about Intan headstage pinouts, please refer to the official Intan Technologies documentation:

RHD 32-Channel Headstage

The RHD 32-channel headstages have 36-pin electrode connectors that mate with many commercially-available electrodes.

Key Specifications

  • Connector Type: 36-pin electrode connector
  • Channels: 32 amplifier channels
  • Reference: Configurable via zero-ohm jumper R0 to disconnect reference electrode from ground
  • Available Variants:
  • Standard RHD 32ch headstage
  • RHD 32ch headstage with accelerometer
  • RHD 32-channel headstage with SPI interface cable

Pinout Notes

  • Two redundant REF pins and two redundant GND pins are provided on the electrode connector
  • Only one REF and one GND connection is needed for the entire headstage
  • The headstage mates with electrodes from various manufacturers and Intan custom electrode adapters

RHD 64-Channel Headstage

The RHD 64-channel headstages provide higher density recordings.

Key Specifications

  • Connector Type: 36-pin electrode connector (dual connectors for 64 channels)
  • Channels: 64 amplifier channels
  • Reference: Configurable via zero-ohm jumper R0
  • Available Variants:
  • RHD 64ch headstage with ports labeled

Pinout Notes

  • Two redundant REF pins and two redundant GND pins are provided on each electrode connector
  • Only one REF and one GND connection is needed per connector

RHD 16-Channel Bipolar-Input Headstage

Designed for bipolar EMG or other differential recordings.

Key Specifications

  • Connector Type: 36-pin electrode connector
  • Channels: 16 bipolar input channels
  • Reference: Four redundant GND pins provided

Using This Information with blech_clust

When setting up experiments with blech_exp_info.py, you'll need to specify the electrode layout using the CAR (Common Average Referencing) groups. Understanding the headstage pinout helps you:

  1. Identify channel numbers: Map the electrode connector pins to specific amplifier channel numbers
  2. Configure CAR groups: Group electrodes for common average referencing based on their physical layout
  3. Set up EMG channels: If using integrated EMG channels on the headstage

Example: Creating Electrode Layout

# Run experiment info setup
python blech_exp_info.py /path/to/data

# This will generate an electrode_layout.csv file
# that you can edit to specify CAR groups

The electrode layout file contains: - filename: The electrode data file - electrode_ind: The electrode index - port: The port on the headstage - electrode_num: The electrode number - CAR_group: The group for common average referencing

Additional Resources