FAQ

• What caps can be used for combined fNIRS and EEG measurements?

  The Cortivision and mBrainTrain setup supports two approaches. You can use a standard textile EEG cap based on the international 10-5 system, supplied as part of the integrated solution. EEG electrodes are first positioned at the required locations, while the remaining positions can be used to arrange the fNIRS optodes according to the experimental protocol. For studies requiring a specific multimodal layout, we can also manufacture a custom CortiCap. The cap is designed around your experiment, with dedicated positions for both EEG electrodes and fNIRS optodes. This provides a repeatable setup tailored to the brain regions and measurement geometry required by your study.

• What are the advantages of a custom CortiCap?

  A textile 10-5 cap provides maximum flexibility: you select the required EEG positions first and then arrange the fNIRS optodes around them. A custom CortiCap takes the opposite approach - the complete EEG + fNIRS layout is designed for your specific experiment in advance. Electrode and optode locations can therefore be optimized together, making complex multimodal setups easier to reproduce between participants and measurement sessions.

• Are fNIRS and EEG combined into a single device?

  No. The Cortivision fNIRS and mBrainTrain EEG systems remain two independent measurement devices that are precisely synchronized in time. This is an important advantage of the integration. Both systems can be used independently for dedicated fNIRS or EEG experiments, or combined whenever multimodal acquisition is required. Researchers are not locked into a single-purpose multimodal device.

• How are the fNIRS and EEG signals synchronized?

  Synchronization is handled through the Lab Streaming Layer (LSL) protocol, providing a common timing framework for both modalities and experimental events. The signals themselves are recorded separately using the dedicated software provided for each system. This preserves the native acquisition workflow of both platforms while allowing the resulting EEG and fNIRS datasets to be accurately aligned in time.

• Can the same fNIRS system be used for both traditional fNIRS and DOT-fNIRS?

  Yes. The same Cortivision Spectrum hardware can support both measurement approaches. With a textile 10-5 cap, Spectrum can be configured for traditional source-detector fNIRS measurements. For high-density DOT-fNIRS measurements, the same hardware can be combined with a dedicated CortiCap designed for the required optode geometry. This allows researchers to select the measurement configuration according to the needs of each experiment without investing in separate fNIRS platforms.

• Is the integration only intended for mobile experiments?

  No. The Cortivision and mBrainTrain systems can also be used in stationary laboratory experiments. However, mobility is where the combination offers some of its greatest advantages. Both platforms are designed to support measurements beyond conventional seated laboratory paradigms, making the integrated setup particularly suitable for studies involving walking, physical activity, training, social interaction, and other naturalistic behaviors.

• Do the wireless fNIRS and EEG systems interfere with each other?

  The systems use different wireless communication technologies: Cortivision Spectrum communicates via Wi-Fi, while the mBrainTrain EEG system uses Bluetooth. This allows both systems to operate wirelessly within the same multimodal setup while maintaining independent communication links.

• Can I use the EEG and fNIRS systems separately after purchasing an integrated setup?

  Yes. Because EEG and fNIRS remain independent systems, each can be used as a standalone research platform or as part of the synchronized multimodal configuration. This makes the setup suitable for laboratories that run EEG-only, fNIRS-only, and combined EEG-fNIRS studies using the same equipment.

• What does “fNIRS + EEG integration” actually include?

  The integration is not simply a physical combination of two devices on one cap. It brings together compatible headgear, coordinated EEG and fNIRS layouts, wireless acquisition, time synchronization via LSL, and dedicated acquisition software for both modalities. It is also supported directly by both manufacturers, ensuring access to technical expertise, application guidance, and coordinated support across EEG and fNIRS systems throughout setup, data collection, and experimental design. Depending on the study, the setup can be based on a flexible textile 10-5 cap or a purpose-built CortiCap designed around the exact EEG and fNIRS measurement locations required by the experiment.