• Handling the X-Headstage [Important]

  Properly handle the X-Headstage will prolong the lifetime and reliability. To plugin connect the EIB/Probe/Adapter, align the two units directly on top of each other and exert equal force along the entire area. If the connectors are plugged in properly, there will be a satisfying lock feel. Make sure a good connection is established before screwing the X-Headstage with standard armor into an adapter. (https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/fca37dc8cf757000/xhs-instruction11qb6Popular

• Selecting and Configuring the X-Headstage

  Currently KonteX offers 3 type of X-Headstages X3R: recording 32ch (x3R32) or 64ch (x3R64) X3SR: stimulation + recording 32ch (x3SR32) or 64ch (coming soon) X6R: recording 128ch ( x6R128 (https://kontex.io/collections/hSome readers

• Are tracking LEDs available with xHS headstage?

  Yes, tracking LEDs can be installed to an adaptor. Contact us for more information.Some readers

• Is the X-Headstage available with an Omnetics connector?

  X-Headstage can be configured with a 12-pin Omnetics connector. However, we strongly recommend new users consider the µHDMI connector. It is easy to plug in and unplug and can make use of the low-cost, flexible cable.Some readers

• Can I customize the shape or material of X-Headstage's protective armor?

  Yes, please contact us for more information.Few readers

• Do I need to use KonteX’s XDAQ system to use the X-Headstage?

  No, you could use any existing Intan compatible controllers (from Intan, Open-Ephys, NeuroNexus Smartbox, etc). The X-Headstage is designed to use the micro HDMI connector, which is easy to plug in and can leverage our low cost, ultraflexible cable solution. We provide adapters to interface the micro HDMI connector with Intan's 12-pin or 16-pin connector to their system. Alternatively, if you prefer, you may configure the X-Headstage with the Omnetics connectors and use existing cable solution.Few readers

• What connectors are used on the X-Headstage?

  The connectors used on the X3 line (X3 Probe Interface) are Molex PN: 5050663422. The mating connector to be used is Molex PN: 5050703422. For X6, the connectors on the headstage (X6 Probe Interface) are Panasonic PN: AXG144144A; mating connector - Panasonic PN: AXG244144A. Engineering drawings are available on the resource tab in the product page.Few readers

• Dental cement accidentally got into the board to board connector, what do I do?

  Try submerging the X-Headstage in acetone for a few hours, then use a swab (preferably cotton-less) to remove the residue.Few readers

• Notes on X3SR headstage pinout

  X-Headstage is manufactured based on advanced packaging technology such that there are multiple ICs inside each chip. X3SR32 has two Intan RHS2116 dies inside therefore each die is connected to one of the two X3BtB connectors (in order to maintain the compatibility with other X3 series chips). Therefore only 16 out of 32ch (34ch if including GND and Ref) are activated. The pin out map is as following and other related resource files can be found on the product page (https://kontex.io/collectFew readers

• Notes regarding the reliability of the connectors used on the X-Headstage

  X-Headstage uses ultra small connectors, called board-to-board connector, commonly used in the PC industry. These types of connectors have cycle rating of about 50 cycles according to the manufacturers. But that doesn't mean it will fail at 51st cycle. In fact, we have tested plug and unplug cycles to be more than 200 cycles (it is 241 cycles to be exact, just ask our intern Mark). KonteX is not the first company in the field to use this type of connector and as such some might have experienFew readers

• Is X-Headstage's HDMI connector solution same as ones used by other vendors (such as NeuroNexus' Smartbox)?

  Our X-Headstage is designed to leverage consumer tech HDMI accessories so we carefully mapped the signal circuit for maximum compatibility. NeuroNexus and other vendors custom made the HDMI cable for their specification and therefore have different signal pinout. So while both may use the similar µHDMI connector, they are not compatible.Few readers

• I have the OpenEphys or Intan Controller with the blue or purple Intan SPI cables, can they still be used with the X-Headstage?

  We recommend the HDMI connector/cable solution as they are easy to plug in and unplug and are low cost while being flexible. However, if you prefer, you may configure the X-Headstage with the Omnetics connectors and use your existing cable system. Check out adapters to interface between HDMI connectors and the Omnetics connectors.Few readers

• Can X-Headstage be used for non-human primate experiments?

  X-Headstage can be easily adapted for NHP experiments. KonteX is experienced with various pedestal or chamber design commonly used in the NHP experiments. We are working on a few solutions for NHP in our lab. Contact us for more details.Few readers

• Where do I find the pinout of X-Headstage or its adaptors?

  All available product resources can be found on the "Resource" tab on the individual product page (where they can be added to the cart). This might include mapping, pinout, spec sheet, engineering drawing, 3D models, etc.Few readers

• How much current can x3SR headstage deliver?

  The x3SR includes constant current stimulators that can deliver currents ranging from 10 nA to 2.55 mA over an 14 V compliance. Please be mindful the deliverable current is highly dependent on electrode impedance. If you need to exceed 14V compliance (i.e. needing to deliver more current due to high impedance), x3SR can support a 18V compliance at the expense of reduced life time. According to Intan Technology, at the higher compliance, "each stimulator circuit begins to fail after many stimulaFew readers

• Can I place, or implant, the X-Headstage horizontally on the skull?

  Yes, design like the blow is possible. Contact us for more information.Few readers

• Is accelerometer sensor available for the x3SR stim X-Headstage?

  X3SR headstage does not support 3-axis accelerometer sensors.Few readers

• I don't see the ground and reference access pads available on the X-Headstages. Is that correct?

  There are GND and REF inputs to the X-Headstage. The external pads are omitted in order to maintain a minimal footprint. Access to these signal can be found on the EIB or the sensor.Few readers

• Where do I find adaptors to interface with my electrode?

  The X-Headstage is designed with an adapter-based approach to interface with various connectors. We offer off-the-shelf designs and can provide custom designs. Contact us for more information. Browse all the available probe adapters here: https://store.kontex.io/collections/probe-adapterFew readers

• How is X-Headstage different than Intan's RHD-/RHS-2000 chips?

  The X-Headstage features a KonteX designed chip package based on Intan's frontend ASICs. Our chip package enables multi-die integration as well as the interposer technology to route IOs across the top and the bottom of the chip. This enables more efficient integration of components and allow us to achieve an ultra small headstage that has improved functionalities (i.e. more channels) while maintaining the proven acquisition performance of the Intan chips.Few readers

• What is the advantage of implanting/cementing the X-Headstage with the electrode?

  In general, signal quality and longevity can be improved when the headstage and electrode are firmly cemented on the skull. Mechanical strain is minimized on the connector interface due to lower height from the cantilever effect, thus drastically minimizing motion artifact. Disturbance to the sensitive neural interface caused by direct plug-in/out of the headstage is also significantly reduced thus improving long-term chronic signal quality. When the X-Headstage configured with a µHDMI connFew readers

• Is the X-Headstage compatible with NeuroNexus SmartBox or other Intan-based digital control systems?

  Yes, in most cases, a pin-remap adaptor will be needed. We can produce adaptors for other systems if pinouts can be provided. Contact us for more details. See available accessories at: https://store.kontex.io/pages/accessoryFew readers

• What is the purpose of the "ears" on the side of the standard armor?

  They are mechanical anchoring points to screw and secure the X-Headstage to the adaptor. It may be used as an acrylic anchoring feature as well. It is not necessary to use ear type armor to use various accessory. The anchoring mechanism can be replaced with dental acrylic as some users have preferred smaller footprint of the mini armor.Few readers

• How is X-Headstage more cost-effective than headstages offered by other vendors?

  We believe the X-Headstage is a better solution overall. It is super small and is supported by a wide variety of accessories for a more flexible surgery. It can transform any passive probes into an active design, offering better noise rejection and signal acquisition quality. The X-Headstage leverages an adapter-based design to interface with commonly used probes with connectors such as the Omnetics, which can be difficult to plug and unplug. It is not uncommon for the headstage pins in a conveFew readers

• My electrode uses a different kind of connector than what is on the X-Headstage. Can I still use the X-Headstage?

  Yes. If you use connectors that are commonly used in neuroscience, chances are we already have adaptors made. The X-Headstage is designed for minimal size and thus has carefully chosen these small industrial connectors. The adaptor based approach offers the advantage of easily replacing broken pins while maintaining a smaller size than the conventional headstage design. If you use commercial silicon or a microwire electrode, ask your probe vendor to support direct interfaces to the X-Headstage.Few readers

• What probes or electrodes are compatible with X-Headstage?

  Most high (1-5MOhm) or low (1-100kOhm) impedance electrodes, commercially available or homemade, can be used with the X-Headstage. Be mindful that for stimulation experiments, high impedance electrodes might not be suitable as x3SR has a compliance stim voltage of 14V. It is recommended to condition the electrode by lowing its impedance through electroplating, activation or other techniques before proceeding with stimulation experiments.Few readers

• Is armor necessary for the X-Headstage?

  It is possible to use the X-Headstage without the armor, but having an additional layer will offer additional mechanical protection and will likely prolong the lifetime of the X-Headstage.Few readers

• How do you recover X-Headstage from dental cement?

  Please review our blog for installing and removing the X-Headstage for re-use.Few readers

• Can I configure X-Headstage to interface with the electrode directly?

  If you make your own electrode, we offer EIB with a direct interface to xHS. EIBs can be easily customized if our current offers do not satisfy your need. We offer adapters for commonly used connectors. This adapter design allows broken pins to be easily and economically replaced while maintaining a smaller footprint than conventional designs.Few readers

• How do x3R, x3SR, and x6R headstages differ?

  The x3R is the ultra-small headstage supporting 32ch or 64ch of high-speed neural recording. The x3SR is a switchable stim-rec headstage with 32ch configuration per chip and up to 64ch can be configured per headstage. The X3 line has a base dimension of 8.5x8.5x5mm. x6R is designed for high channel experiments and starts at 128ch with a base dimension of 10x10x5mm. It can be configured to drive up to 448ch with a single cable. KonteX is currently testing the headstage solution for a higher thanFew readers

• What kind of stimulation pattern can be delivered by the x3SR headstages?

  X3SR can be programmed to deliver a wide variety of stimulus pattern with pulse timing as fine as 33.3 µs. When driven by XDAQ, our software allows delivery of biphasic, triphasic, burst pulses with amplitude ranging from 10nA to 2.55mA.Few readers

• What are the weights of the various armor types?

  Screw Armor (with screws): 0.24g Mini Armor: 0.20g IP Armor: 0.27g Adhesive adds about 0.10g The difference between Omnetics and HDMI connector armor designs is negligible.Few readers

• Why did KonteX choose µHDMI connector over the Omnetics connector? Isn’t the 12pin Omnetics connector still smaller and lighter?

  See our blog on this topic.Few readers

• Adapters for the X-Headstage

  The X-Headstages utilize ultra small connectors that may not directly interface with existing commercial electrodes. KonteX offers out-of-the-shelf adapters designs for commonly used neural connectors. This offers the added benefit of prolonging the life time of the headstage, which can break after repeated use. View the list of available adapters here. Contact us if you don't find adapters meeting your needs.Few readers

• 3D print the X-Headstages

  The X-Headstage is incredibly tiny and open up potentially new techniques, such as embedding the headstage with the electrode. Users might find it useful to 3D print the X-Headstage ahead of ordering to perform a mock surgery. We provide CAD model to most of our products. You can find the model in the product page in the store under the Resources tab. Note the model actually changes based on the actual configurations. Contact us if the 3D model your interested is missing. (https://Few readers

• Why is the SR X-Headstage not detected in the Open-Ephys GUI?

  Currently, Open-Ephys GUI supports only the Recording type headstage. Therefore, the software will not be able to detect the SR X-Headstage. KonteX is currently developing our own unified software to support various data sources (neural recording, stimulation, video streaming, etc) planned in the XDAQ line.Few readers

• What chips are used in the X3 and X6 series X-Headstages?

  The X3- and X6- series X-Headstages are based on Intan Technologies ASIC. KonteX leverage advanced chip packaging technologies to pack multiple ICs in each chip. Specifically, here are the actual compositions: X3R32 - 1 RHD2132 X3R64 - 2 RHD2132 X3SR32 - 2 RHS2116 X6R128 - 2 RHD2164 Thus, when you plugin the X-Headstage to some of the Open Source applications, you might see multiple chips showing up in the GUI.Few readers

• What screws are used in the S Armors?

  S Armors by default is equipped with M1.2 3mm captive screw. For users using remapper or cycle-extender, an optional 5mm long screw should be used. For users purchasing remapper or cycle-extender, KonteX will by default supply the 5mm long screw.Few readers