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. 2025 Mar 12;25(6):1762.
doi: 10.3390/s25061762.

Electrodermal Activity Analysis at Different Body Locations

Patricia Gamboa  1   2 , Rui Varandas  1   2 , Katrin Mrotzeck  2 , Hugo Plácido da Silva  2   3 , Cláudia Quaresma  1
Affiliations

Electrodermal Activity Analysis at Different Body Locations

Patricia Gamboa et al. Sensors (Basel). .

Abstract

Electrodermal activity (EDA) reflects the variation in the electrical conductance of the skin in response to sweat secretion, constituting a non-invasive measure of the sympathetic nervous system. This system intervenes in reactions to stress and is strongly activated in emotional states. In most cases, EDA signals are collected from the hand (fingers or palms), which is not an ideal location for a sensor when the participant has to use their hands during tasks or activities. This study aims to explore alternative locations for retrieving EDA signals (e.g., the chest, back, and forehead). EDA signals from 25 healthy participants were collected using a protocol involving different physical stimuli that have been reported to induce an electrodermal response. The features extracted included the Skin Conductance Response (SCR) height, SCR amplitude, and peak prominence. An analysis of these features and the analysis of the correlation between the standard position with the different locations suggested that the chest, while a possible alternative for EDA signal collection, presents some weak results, and further evaluation of this site is needed. Additionally, the forehead should be excluded as an alternative site, at least in short-term measurements.

Keywords: alternative site; electrodermal activity; skin conductance level; skin conductance response.

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Conflict of interest statement

The study used material from the company PLUX, where some of the authors worked at the time and are affiliated with.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Electrodes positioning (1—fingers of non-dominant hand; 2—chest; 3—back; 4—forehead).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Diagram of the experimental procedure: from sensor attachment to task performance.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Typical EDA signal response pattern and relevant features.
Figure 4
Figure 4
SCR Height, SCR Amplitude, and SCR Prominence per location.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Phasic component of hot water task, for the different locations, for one of the participants.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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