Table 1 Comparison between surface and implantable electrodes
Surface Electrodes | Implantable Electrodes | |
|---|---|---|
Installation | Stabilization over the skin is necessary | A clinical implantation is required |
Stability | Highly environmentally dependent (i.e. sweaty or dry skin) | Long-term stable impedance after tissue encapsulation |
Recording field | Unable to record information from all the muscles in the stump due to muscle superposition | Recordings from individual motor units are possible, as well as direct recordings from nerves |
Information | Provide a more general spatial characterization of the action potential distribution | Allow more sites for control, reduce cross-talk and provide access to information from nerves that innervated missing muscles |
Chronic use | Skin and stabilization problems prevent a long placement | Different muscle- and nerve-based electrodes have been chronically implanted in humans |