Pocket Neurobics U-Wiz & Q-Wiz Amplifiers

Configuring EEGer for the U-Wiz or Q-Wiz Amplifiers

1. Complete the steps detailed in this article to manually install the device drivers, if needed.

2. Open EEGer and navigate to Options>EEGer Configuration Options along the top toolbar.

3. Click on the tab labelled Special on the top-center of the screen.

4. Check the box for option 5 Allow investigational devices

5. Click on Close preferences window in the bottom-center of the screen.

This will enable EEGer to show Wiz in the list of devices, which we can now go back and select.

1. Once again navigate to Options>EEGer Configuration Options along the top toolbar.

2. On the tab labelled Devices, click the drop-down menu for 6 Source of EEG/peripheral data and select Wiz from the menu.

3. Navigate to the tab labelled Device Options and scroll down until you see the section for Wiz options.

4. Check the box for 29 Inhibit monitoring of electrodes.

5. Click on Close preferences window in the bottom-center of the screen.

Now that EEGer is configured to recognize the device, there is one final step to direct EEGer to the port the amplifier is using.

1. Close EEGer if it is open and plug in the amplifier (if it is not already).

2. Open EEGer and navigate to Help>Com Port Info, which opens a window reporting all ports currently in use. Take note of the port displayed. If you do not see a com port reported, ensure your computer is connected to the internet. Restart the computer and the necessary files should be installed in the form of a Windows Update.

3. Close the com port window and navigate to Options>EEGer Configuration Options

4. In the Devices tab, change 7 Serial port for data source connection to the com port we identified using the Com Port Info screen.

5. Click on Close preferences window in the bottom-center of the screen.

The U-Wiz or Q-Wiz amplifier should now be fully configured for running live sessions in EEGer!

Once the amplifier is properly configured with EEGer, begin a live or replay session. If everything is configured properly, you will see a green box in the lower right corner of the therapist display/wave screen with the word Wiz.

If you are seeing a red box, or no box at all, that indicates a problem with the amplifier or its configuration. The two most common messages are Wzbad and WzERR. These can be caused by:

1. Amplifier has been misconfigured - follow the configuration steps above and verify that the COM port is correct (can be different across multiple computers).
2. Amplifier is in wrong mode - ensure the amplifier is in the correct mode. We recommend doing this by exiting the session and closing the software. Once EEGer is closed, disconnect and reconnect the amplifier to the computer. Reopen the software and begin a new live or replay session with the amplifier connected to the computer. This process will ensure the amplifier is in the correct mode for use with EEGer.
3. Connection issues - exit the current session and unplug the USB cable from the computer. Ensure the cable is fully inserted into the amplifier, then reconnect the cable to a different USB port on the computer.

Using the Pocket Neurobics U-Wiz and Q-Wiz

The Pocket Neurobics U-Wiz does not have labeled electrode inputs, it instead uses a color-based system to distinguish the different signals, references, and ground connections. The colored inputs on the amplifier correspond to the following:

Red - Signal 1/Signal A | Blue - Signal 2/Signal B
Green - Ground
Black - Reference 1/Reference A | White - Reference 2/Reference B

The Pocket Neurobics Q-Wiz has labeled electrode inputs, but also uses a color-based system to distinguish the different signals, references, and ground connections. The colored inputs on the amplifier correspond to the following:

Yellow - Signal C/3 | Green - Ground | Brown - Signal D/4

Red - Signal A/1 | Black - Ref. A/1-C/3 | White - Ref. B/2-D/4 | Blue - Signal B/2

These colors may not correspond with the electrode cables you are using with the amplifier. If you find this confusing, one simple solution we've used internally is colored electrical or crafts tape wrapped around a portion of the electrode cable to quickly distinguish the port it should be placed in.

To connect the U-Wiz to the computer, we recommend using the USB extender cable which is included with the amplifier. While the amplifier can connect to the computer without the extender cable, we have found this can be limiting depending on the length of electrodes and the position of the client. The Q-Wiz must be connected to the computer using its provided USB cable.

The U-Wiz includes a clip which can be connected to a client's shirt collar to keep it in place while electrodes are connected, if needed.The Q-Wiz similarly features a loop to connect the device to a belt or other strap-like device. Some clinicians utilize this feature on the case to connect the amplifier to a client's upper arm.

Checking impedance can be done in EEGer by pressing Ctrl+F7 when running a live session. This will display a single impedance value for each channel, which is a sum of the signal and reference impedance values. Because of this, the impedance will be higher than those displayed for other amplifiers. Values higher than 40 kOhm can indicate that the electrode connections may need to be improved.

Troubleshooting the U-Wiz & Q-Wiz Amplifiers

While issues with the Pocket Neurobics amplifiers are rare, they can be difficult for some to get started with compared to other amplifiers.

Q-Wiz Not Sending Data/Connecting to EEGer - This is because the amplifier has entered the wrong 'mode', and can no longer communicate with EEGer. See this article for instructions on how to resolve the issue.

Rapidly Fluctuating Uniform Signal in Raw Trace - This can be caused by a poor connection to the client's scalp, damaged electrode, or an electrode being disconnected from the amplifier. The Pocket Neurobics amplifiers monitor the connection of the electrodes at all times. If the amplifier detects a problem, it will rapidly fluctuate the signal to prevent inaccurate data from being reordered and to notify the user of the issue.

Impedance Fluctuating from 256 to -2 or Not Moving - Same as above, can be caused by a poor connection to the client's scalp, damaged electrode, or an electrode not fully inserted into the amplifier. By identifying which channel is reporting the issue, the user can isolate the problematic electrode and resolve the issue. If all channels have values that are not moving or rapidly fluctuating, the issue is likely with the ground electrode.