Myomatrix array catalog
Thanks to the generous funding from the NIH U24 program, CAMBER has distributed hundreds of arrays to the global neuroscience community at no cost to the user. We will continue to accept orders for free arrays through November 30, 2025 and we will pause all requests in the month of December. Starting in January 2026, CAMBER will move to a payment model to ensure the sustainability of this resource.
The Myomatrix EMG electrode arrays are flexible high-density arrays enabling researchers to record muscle activity with resolution as high as single motor units in freely behaving animals and from a range of species including mice, rats, songbirds, and non-human primates. The arrays come in a variety of configurations designed for use in acute and chronic recording paradigms and feature 32 low-impedance gold recording sites tiled along the flexible polyimide thread.
The CAMBER team is available for consultation on design choices, surgical questions or recording/amplifier equipment purchases. Sign up for a consultation using THIS LINK.
Deciphering the Myomatrix array design codes, e.g. RF-4x8-BVS-8
- First two letters are for internal use
- Number x number: number of threads x number of contacts/thread
- First letter: (B)arbs on the array threads, (X) no barbs
- Second letter: (V)ertical or (H)orizontal orientation of the Omnetics connector or a (Z)IF interface
- Third letter: Muscle attachment method using (S)utures or (I)njection with a needle
- Last number: length of array threads from neck of the array to the most distal contact in (cm).
Design features: These arrays utilize sutures to either insert the array threads into (intramuscular) or attach to (epimysial) the target muscle. Other features include: flexible “barbs” (B) adjacent to the electrode contacts for muscle anchoring and pull-through tabs to assist with threading under the skin.
Variations: (click array name for technical specification sheet)
RF-4x8-BVS-3: vertically attached Omnetics connector, ~3 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size.
RF-4x8-BHS-5: horizontally attached Omnetics connector, ~5 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size (shown below as an example).
RF-4x8-BVS-5: vertically attached Omnetics connector, ~5 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size.
RF-4x8-BVS-8: vertically attached Omnetics connector, ~8 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size.
Applications: This design can be used for chronic high-resolution EMG in a variety of species, including:
- Mouse and rat forelimb muscles
- Rat vocal muscles
- Mouse hindlimb muscles
- Acute recordings (from any species)
Design features: Each array thread features an insertion tail to inject the array thread directly into the muscle target using a standard 30g needle. Other features include: flexible “barbs” (B) adjacent to the electrode contacts for muscle anchoring and pull-through tabs to assist with threading under the skin.
4-threaded arrays with 8 contacts per thread:
- RF-4x8-BHI-5: horizontally attached Omnetics connector, ~5 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size.
- RF-4x8-BVI-5: vertically attached Omnetics connector, ~5 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size.
- RF-4x8-BVI-8: vertically attached Omnetics connector, ~8 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size.
- RF-4x8-BHI-8: horizontally attached Omnetics connector, ~8 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size.
- RF-8x4-BHI-5: horizontally attached Omnetics connector, ~5 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size.
- RF-8x4-BVI-5: vertically attached Omnetics connector, ~5 cm thread length, 100 x 200 um electrode contact size (example shown below).
Applications: This design can be used for chronic high-resolution EMG in a variety of species, including:
- Mouse and rat forelimb muscles
- Rat vocal muscles
- Mouse hindlimb muscles
- Acute recordings (from any species)
NOTE: THESE ARRAYS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE.
Design features: This configuration has one thread with 32 contacts arranged in 16 pairs. The long tail is inserted into a blunted needle (23g, provided by CAMBER) and used to inject the electrode contact end directly through the skin and into the muscle (percutaneous).
NP-1x32-XZI-10: This design has a ZIF interface, 10 cm array thread and contact sizes of 100 x 200 um. The ZIF interface is inserted into the ZIF adapter (created in-house and provided with the arrays) which is then plugged into an appropriate headstage. Note that each array is single-use but that the ZIF adapter can be used across many experiments. Refer to connectorization details on the Array Configurations page.
Applications: This design can be used for acute high-resolution EMG in a variety of species, including:
- Non-human primates
- Human subjects
| CODE | Example application | Acute recording | Chronic recording | Threads | Contacts per thread | Total # of contacts | (1) Length of thread (cm) | Barbs (B) or no Barbs (X) | (2,3) Connector orientation | (4) Insertion mechanism |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RF-4x8-BVS-3 | mouse neck, orofacial muscles | Y | Y | 4 | 8 | 32 | 3.1 | B | V | Sutures |
| RF-4x8-BHS-5 | mouse forelimb | Y | Y | 4 | 8 | 32 | 5.1 | B | H | Sutures |
| RF-4x8-BVS-5 | mouse forelimb; mouse orofacial | Y | Y | 4 | 8 | 32 | 5.1 | B | V | Sutures |
| RF-4x8-BVS-8 | rat forelimb, mouse hindlimb | Y | Y | 4 | 8 | 32 | 8.1 | B | V | Sutures |
| RF-4x8-BHI-5 | mouse forelimb, mouse orofacial | Y | Y | 4 | 8 | 32 | 5.1 | B | H | Insertion tail |
| RF-4x8-BVI-5 | mouse forelimb | Y | Y | 4 | 8 | 32 | 5.1 | B | V | Insertion tail |
| RF-4x8-BVI-8 | mouse hindlimb | Y | Y | 4 | 8 | 32 | 8.1 | B | V | Insertion tail |
| RF-4x8-BHI-8 | mouse hindlimb | Y | Y | 4 | 8 | 32 | 8.1 | B | H | Insertion tail |
| RF-8x4-BHI-5 | mouse forelimb | Y | Y | 8 | 4 | 32 | 5.0 | B | H | Insertion tail |
| RF-8x4-BVI-5 | mouse forelimb | Y | Y | 8 | 4 | 32 | 5.0 | B | V | Insertion tail |
| NP-1x32-XZI-10 | NHP forelimb or human quadriceps | Y | N | 1 | 32 | 32 | 10.6 | X | Z | Insertion tail |
- Notes: All array designs have 100 x 200 um contact dimensions and a contact pitch distance of 300 um.
- NHP = Non-human primate
- (1) Length of thread is measured from the neck of the array to the most distal electrode.
- (2) "Vertical (V)" means that the connector is parallel to the long axis of the array; "Horizontal (H)" is perpendicular to the long axis; "ZIF (Z)" represents the ZIF interface which inserts into the ZIF adapter.
- (3) Omnetics connector: part number NPD-36-VV-GS (A79026)
- (4) Refer to Chung et al., 2023.