Photon-pixel coupling: A method for parallel acquisition of electrical signals in scientific investigations

Here we describe a novel prototype method for parallel sampling of electrical signals from 200 sensors. The amplified signal from each sensor was remotely converted into a luminous signal on a LED matrix. A digital camera supported by a duralumin skeleton, was installed at 15 cm above an LED matrix inside an opaque box. Images were sampled at discrete time intervals of 5 s. A total of 25,920 images of the LED matrix have been recorded. Thus, 5.2 million measurements have been recorded as light intensities from the LED matrix. Light intensities of individual LEDs from the images were converted into 1 pixel value/LED. Each pixel value was then converted into percentages for evaluation. We used this methodology to measure the temporal variation of the electrical current on the skin of the torso on human volunteers, to assess the presence of a correlation between the electrical activity and diabetes (Ionescu-Tirgoviste et al., 2018). This method also allowed us to compile the first high resolution map of the electrical activity generated by the human skin (Ionescu-Tirgoviste et al., 2018). •A novel method for a parallel acquisition of electrical signals which can be applied in any related field.•It provides the ability to retrieve a large number of electrical channels simultaneously.•It provides for an inexpensive and reliable way to digitize hundreds to thousands of channels at video rate frequencies.