Spike Recorder

Records and analyzes neurons and muscle activity from your Spikerbox

Backyard Brains · com.backyardbrains

Not rated yet 10K+ downloads v1.9.0.1 10.7 MB Android 7.0+ PEGI 3 · Everyone

Download APK 10.7 MB All versions

Signature matches the Google Play version Details

Watch the Spike Recorder trailer on YouTube

At a glance

Latest version: v1.9.0.1 (103)
Updated: Apr 23, 2026 (6 months ago)
APK size: 10.7 MB
Requires: Android 7.0+ (API 24)
CPU support: x86 32-bit, x86 64-bit, ARM 32-bit, ARM 64-bit
Category: Education (app)
Listed since: Mar 8, 2022 (at least)
Permissions: 10 (2 sensitive)
Website: backyardbrains.com
Developer contact: [email protected]
Privacy: Developer's privacy policy

About this APK

Spike Recorder is an app by Backyard Brains in the Education category, listed since at least March 2022. It includes native code for x86 32-bit, x86 64-bit, ARM 32-bit and ARM 64-bit, so it runs on practically every phone.

It asks for 10 permissions, 2 of them sensitive: record audio and read media audio. The app can read the advertising ID that ad and analytics services use.

What's new in v1.9.0.1

Fixes bugs

Description

From the listing uploaded by “appupdater”.

When was the first time you heard the sound of a brain cell? Was it in elementary school, high school, or college? Chances are your answer is "never," as we neuroscientists have typically had to go to major research universities and use expensive equipment to learn about and investigate the brain. With the SpikerBox (available open-source from http://backyardbrains.com) you can now listen to living neurons from insects. With this android app, you can view what the spikes of neurons look like and record it to your phone for later analysis. What used to take up a whole room you now have in your hand, and for cheap. Think of it! Our first Android release includes both long continuous and threshold views, and you can also tell us about the first time you heard a neuron that updates directly on our website. Join the Neuro-Converts! Do let us know us know about your experiments. Note: The application normally picks up input through your Android's built-in microphone. If you want to plug directly into your SpikerBox, or any audio device, you need a custom male-to-male headphone cable (a normal one won't work), available from our website. It has to do with routing an output channel to an input channel. We also have instructions if you want to build one yourself.

Security & authenticity

Security rating: Trusted

Signing certificate

Signature matches the Google Play version Checked by the source store on Apr 23, 2026.
Certificate issued to “Backyard Brains” This is the certificate of the Google Play version.

Store checks and file details

Developer signature verified Apr 23, 2026
Validated against Google Play Apr 23, 2026
Signed byCN=Nathan Dotz, O=Backyard Brains, L=Ann Arbor, ST=Michigan, C=USA
Signing certificate (SHA-1)27:3F:D8:5F:FB:34:5A:F0:F7:A6:9E:AE:D6:B1:77:32:58:48:1F:A1
File MD52a3081cb2d8e4077acd52d6818c17369
Uploaded by “appupdater” Gold tier · 117,810 followers · uploading since 2020

Scans and ratings come from the source store; the certificate comparisons are AAPKs's own, made from the files' published signatures. AAPKs doesn't scan files itself — compare the MD5 and signer after downloading.

Permissions (10)

Spike Recorder requests 10 permissions, 2 of them sensitive.

Read media audio Sensitive android.permission.READ_MEDIA_AUDIO
Record audio (microphone) Sensitive android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO
Advertising ID com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID
Full network access android.permission.INTERNET
Google Play install referrer com.google.android.finsky.permission.BIND_GET_INSTALL_REFERRER_SERVICE
Internal broadcast protection (app-defined) com.backyardbrains.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
Modify audio settings android.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS
Prevent the device from sleeping android.permission.WAKE_LOCK
Reorder tasks android.permission.REORDER_TASKS
View network connections android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE

Required hardware & features

Microphone android.hardware.microphone
USB host android.hardware.usb.host

Spike Recorder APK: questions and answers

Can I install this APK over the version I already have?

Yes, if your installed copy is older. It is signed like the Google Play version, so Android installs it as an update and keeps your data.

Is the Spike Recorder APK safe?

No one can promise that a file is safe, but some things can be checked. The source store rates this file Trusted. Its signature matches the Google Play version. After downloading, check that the file's MD5 is 2a3081cb2d8e4077acd52d6818c17369.