Parts, by tier, with running totals
The bench
Buy the smallest tier that lets you start this week. Prices are approximate and drift; treat each total as a ceiling. Every project page lists only its own parts, so you never need this whole page at once. The reasoning behind the tiers is on the bench tiers lesson.
Tier 0: nothing to buy
A laptop with Python. Real EEG from PhysioNet, the simulators on this site, and every explainer. You can do all of Phase 1's zero-dollar project and most of Phase 3 and 4 here.
Tier 1: the starter bench, about $248
Enough for the SpikerBox, one channel of EEG, muscle-to-motion, and the eye joystick. The multimeter and soldering iron last a decade.
Tier 1 parts
| Part | Where | Qty | Approx. |
|---|---|---|---|
| A laptop you already own, with Python 3 Windows, macOS, or Linux. Install Python via the official installer or Miniforge; MNE-Python and NumPy via pip. | Your bag | 1 | free |
| 9 V batteries and snap connectors, ×4 Two batteries give you a ±9 V split supply. Never power anything touching skin from the wall or from a laptop USB port. | Any store | 1 | $10 |
| AD8232 heart-rate monitor breakout A complete biopotential front end on a board. Use it to compare against your own amplifier, and to see what a good DRL looks like. | SparkFun, Adafruit | 1 | $20 |
| Alligator clip leads | Amazon | 1 | $6 |
| Arduino Nano Every or Uno (10-bit ADC, USB serial) A clone works. You need a real analog input; the Nano Every and Uno are the simplest path to the Web Serial plotter. | Arduino store, Amazon, Micro Center | 1 | $15 |
| Digital multimeter You will use this more than any other tool. Auto-ranging saves time. | Amazon, Harbor Freight, Micro Center | 1 | $25 |
| Disposable snap ECG electrodes, pack of 50, and snap leads For EMG and as a quick ground/reference. Snap leads with alligator or 3.5 mm ends. | Amazon | 1 | $12 |
| ESP32 DevKit (or Raspberry Pi Pico) For streaming from the ADS1299 board over USB later. Either board works; pick one ecosystem and learn it. | Adafruit, SparkFun, Amazon | 1 | $8 |
| Flush cutters, wire strippers, tweezers | Amazon | 1 | $15 |
| Full-size breadboard, ×2, and jumper wires | Adafruit, Amazon | 1 | $12 |
| Gold cup EEG electrodes, set of 5 with leads Reusable. Clean them after each use. Touch-proof (DIN 1.5 mm) connectors are the standard. | Amazon, OpenBCI shop, medical suppliers | 1 | $30 |
| Hobby servo (SG90) For muscle-to-motion. | Adafruit, Amazon | 1 | $4 |
| INA128 instrumentation amplifier (DIP-8), ×2 The AD620 or INA118 are interchangeable for our purposes. Get the through-hole DIP version for breadboards. | Digi-Key, Mouser | 2 | $18 |
| LM386 audio amplifier Drives a small speaker so you can hear spikes. | Digi-Key, Mouser, Amazon | 1 | $2 |
| Pinecil soldering iron (USB-C powered) and a spool of solder Or any temperature-controlled iron. Lead-free solder is fine; get flux. | Pine64 store | 1 | $35 |
| Resistor and capacitor assortment 1% metal-film resistors matter for the instrumentation amplifier's balance. Include 0.1 µF ceramics and a few 1 to 10 µF film or ceramic caps. | Amazon, Adafruit | 1 | $15 |
| Sewing pins or fine steel wire for insect electrodes A pin in the cockroach leg, another as reference. Backyard Brains sells proper ones if you want them. | Any store | 1 | $2 |
| Small 8 Ω speaker | Adafruit, Amazon | 1 | $3 |
| Ten20 conductive paste, one jar Holds the cups on and lowers impedance. Nuprep skin gel helps too. | Amazon, medical suppliers | 1 | $12 |
| TL072 or OPA2134 dual op-amps, ×4 For filters, the DRL circuit, and the audio stage of the SpikerBox. | Digi-Key, Mouser | 1 | $4 |
| Total (prices drift; treat as a ceiling) | $248 | ||
Tier 2: the real instrument, about $570 more
The fabricated ADS1299 board, a scope, a signal generator, and electrode-making supplies. Or the OpenBCI Ganglion as an alternative to building the board.
Tier 2 parts
| Part | Where | Qty | Approx. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3D printing access (campus makerspace) or a Bambu A1 Mini Free on campus after the safety certification. Buying your own is ~$250 and is worth it by Phase 2 if you use it weekly. | Marriott Library or Lassonde makerspace; Bambu Lab if buying | 1 | free |
| Conductive silicone or carbon-loaded TPU filament for dry electrodes | Amazon, Protopasta | 1 | $25 |
| Eight dry EMG electrode pads or snap electrodes and a fabric armband | Amazon | 1 | $20 |
| OpenBCI Ganglion (4 channels), an alternative to building the ADS1299 board Buy this instead of building if you want to get to decoding faster. Then reverse-engineer it. Cyton (8 channels) is ~$1000. | OpenBCI shop | 1 | $250 |
| Signal generator (cheap DDS module, or use the scope's built-in) Drives the phantom head dipoles at known amplitudes. | Amazon | 1 | $20 |
| Silver wire (0.5 mm) and household bleach for Ag/AgCl plating Chloriding in bleach or by electrolysis in saline turns bare silver into a proper Ag/AgCl electrode. | Jewelry suppliers, Amazon | 1 | $15 |
| Unflavored gelatin or agar, table salt, plastic bowl Saline concentration around 0.9% by weight matches tissue conductivity to within a factor you can calibrate. | Grocery store | 1 | $10 |
| USB isolator (ADuM3160/4160 based) Lets the board talk to a laptop on charger power without connecting the laptop's ground to you. Batteries are still simpler. | Amazon, Adafruit | 1 | $20 |
| USB oscilloscope (Hantek 6022BE class) or a Rigol DHO800 if budget allows A real bench scope is better; the engineering building has them. A USB scope on your desk is what you will actually use at midnight. | Amazon, Rigol | 1 | $70 |
| Your ADS1299 board, fabricated and assembled by JLCPCB (5 boards, 2 assembled) The ADS1299 itself is ~$60 in single quantity and dominates the cost. Order two assembled so one can die. | JLCPCB | 1 | $140 |
| Total (prices drift; treat as a ceiling) | $570 | ||
Tier 3: borrowed
Anything in a lab, the nanofab, or the machine shop. Phase 6 lives here. The way in is the research ladder.
Where the campus gives it to you free
The Marriott Library and Lassonde makerspaces have 3D printers, laser cutters, and electronics benches with scopes and soldering stations. The engineering building has real bench oscilloscopes. Do the certifications in the first weeks and a large part of Tier 2 becomes Tier 0.