Exploring the functionality of market-available tools for neural recording

Low-cost and open-source neural recording systems are increasingly important for expanding access to electrophysiological research. However, many existing platforms still rely on specialized hardware or limited modularity, restricting flexibility for laboratories seeking customizable solutions. Here, we developed and evaluated a modular neural recording platform constructed entirely from commercially available components. Recordings were compared against the ground truth. The platform successfully recovered local field potential (LFP)-like waveforms in most conditions and detected spike-like activity during direct connection recordings. Principal component analysis and k-means clustering further demonstrated the ability to distinguish multiple simulated spike waveforms. Signal quality varied across configurations, with saline recordings and preamplifier integration introducing increased noise and reduced detectability. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of building affordable and modular electrophysiology systems using widely accessible hardware. Although the current implementation has limitations in sampling rate, noise performance, and in vivo validation, the presented framework provides a practical foundation for future customizable open-source neural recording.