Which step best addresses artifact by addressing the hardware rather than the signal processing?

Which step best addresses artifact by addressing the hardware rather than the signal processing?

• A. Replacing and reapplying the affected leads
• B. Changing filter settings
• C. Restarting the study
• D. Increasing sampling rate

Answer: (A)

Artifacts are most effectively reduced when you fix the source at the hardware level, such as with electrode contact. Replacing and reapplying the affected leads improves skin contact and lowers impedance, stabilizing the signal and diminishing artifacts caused by poor electrode connections or movement. This directly targets why the artifact occurred, rather than just trying to scrub it out after the fact. Shifting filters is a signal-processing move that can attenuate some noise but may also distort the true EEG signal if overused. Restarting the study doesn’t address a persistent hardware issue, and increasing the sampling rate changes data resolution rather than artifact suppression.

Artifacts are most effectively reduced when you fix the source at the hardware level, such as with electrode contact. Replacing and reapplying the affected leads improves skin contact and lowers impedance, stabilizing the signal and diminishing artifacts caused by poor electrode connections or movement. This directly targets why the artifact occurred, rather than just trying to scrub it out after the fact.

Shifting filters is a signal-processing move that can attenuate some noise but may also distort the true EEG signal if overused. Restarting the study doesn’t address a persistent hardware issue, and increasing the sampling rate changes data resolution rather than artifact suppression.