GEVIBench — Genetically Encoded Voltage Indicator Benchmark
GEVIBench is an open database of the published performance of 73 genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs). Values are curated from the original papers and normalized to one definition per metric so that sensors can be compared directly. Every value links to its source on the sensor's page.
How the numbers are defined
- Brightness (B/B_EGFP): Molecular brightness relative to EGFP (extinction coefficient × quantum yield, or a measured ratio). Sensors not measured against EGFP directly are placed through a chain of pairwise brightness comparisons, combined by geometric mean.
- Kinetics τ_on / τ_off (ms): Activation / decay time constants in ms (amplitude-weighted mean τ for multi-exponential fits). The value shown averages the measurements made at physiological temperature (≥33 °C); if there are none, it is the measurement closest to 33 °C.
- ΔF/F per 100 mV: Steady-state fluorescence change for a 100 mV depolarization step (−70 → +30 mV); the sign gives the polarity. The table shows the first listed measurement; the median across measurements (one-photon preferred) is used for sorting.
- ΔF/F per mV: Subthreshold sensitivity: fluorescence change per mV near rest (−90 to −50 mV). Where no value is reported directly, it is estimated from the F–V curve.
- ΔF/F per AP: Fluorescence change per single action potential in neurons. The table shows the first listed measurement; the median across measurements (one-photon preferred) is used for sorting.
- AP width (FWHM, ms): Full width at half maximum of the optical spike waveform.
- Photostability t75% @ 100 mW/mm²: Time for fluorescence to fall to 75% of its initial value under one-photon illumination, linearly dose-scaled to 100 mW/mm² (t50% is used where the 75% crossing falls inside a fast initial transient). Two-photon curves are not dose-scaled and are excluded.
- Papers using it (N_used): Number of published research papers, tracked by GEVIBench, that used the sensor for an experiment (a popularity / track-record measure).
All sensors (73)
| Sensor | Year | Category | Polarity | B/B_EGFP | τ_on / τ_off (ms) | ΔF/F per 100 mV | ΔF/F per mV | ΔF/F per AP | AP FWHM | t75% @100 mW/mm² | Papers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2Photron | 2024 | Chemigenetic GEVI | negative | 2.42× | 1.6 / 2.2 | -24% | 0.28% | 5.72% | 1.4 ms | — | 1 |
| Ace2N-mNeon | 2015 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 2.73× | 2.2 / 3.8 | -17.9% | 0.091% | 5% | 3.9 ms | 11 s | 6 |
| Ace2N-mNeon2 | 2022 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 3.04× | 1.5 / 1.5 | -26.1% | 0.2% | 16.5% | 5 ms | 17 s | 5 |
| AMBER | 2021 | Bioluminescent GEVI | positive | — | 40 / 30 | +200% | — | — | — | bioluminescent (no photobleaching) | 1 |
| Arch | 2012 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.00030× | 0.50 / 0.50 | +45% | 0.17% | — | 4.3 ms | — | 10 |
| Archer1 | 2014 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.0011× | 2.5 / 5.5 | +85% | 0.78% | 33% | — | 55.0 min | 6 |
| Archer2 | 2014 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.0016× | — | +60% | 0.45% | — | — | — | 3 |
| Archon1 | 2018 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.0039× | 1.5 / 2.5 | +43% | 0.4% | 30% | 2.6 ms | 7.0 h | 16 |
| Archon2 | 2018 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.0067× | 2.0 / 0.72 | +20% | 0.2% | 18% | 2.4 ms | 1.2 h | 4 |
| ArcLight | 2012 | VSD-single FP | negative | 0.66× | 25 / 30 | -35% | 0.47% | 3.2% | 6.6 ms | 7.3 s | 53 |
| ASAP1 | 2014 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.43× | 6.7 / 12 | -17.5% | 0.21% | 6.3% | 6.2 ms | 11 s | 21 |
| ASAP2s | 2017 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.43× | 7.8 / 14 | -38.7% | 0.15% | 12.2% | 15 ms | 5.5 s | 13 |
| ASAP3 | 2019 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.45× | 6.8 / 11 | -51% | 0.68% | 18% | 5.7 ms | 52 s | 27 |
| ASAP4b | 2023 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | positive | 0.20× | 5.6 / 7.0 | +180% | 1.3% | 35% | 8.7 ms | 59 s | 5 |
| ASAP4e | 2023 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | positive | 0.17× | 6.3 / 5.7 | +210% | 1.1% | 38% | 5 ms | — | 6 |
| ASAP5 | 2024 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.31× | 3.0 / 2.6 | -57% | 1.3% | 34% | 4 ms | 17 s | 11 |
| ASAP6c | 2026 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | positive | 0.11× | 3.9 / 4.4 | +222% | 1.1% | 70% | 5.3 ms | — | 1 |
| ASAP7y | 2026 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.34× | 0.90 / 2.7 | -80% | 2% | 62% | 10 ms | 1.3 s | 3 |
| Bongwoori | 2015 | VSD-single FP | negative | 0.19× | 14 / 11 | -13% | 0.05% | 3.7% | 33 ms | 1.2 s | 9 |
| Bongwoori-R3 | 2017 | VSD-single FP | negative | 0.36× | 11 / 10 | -20% | 0.1% | 5.9% | — | 3.0 s | 4 |
| CAESR | 2014 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 1.43× | 9.9 / 15 | -13.1% | 0.14% | 9.7% | — | — | 2 |
| Cepheid1b | 2023 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 1.40× | 2.7 / 5.0 | -31% | 0.4% | 12.1% | 7 ms | 17 s | 2 |
| Cepheid1s | 2023 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 0.36× | 2.0 / 3.5 | -30% | 0.4% | 13.3% | 7.9 ms | — | 2 |
| ElectraOFF | 2025 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 4.86× | 1.8 / 1.1 | -13% | 0.1% | 14.5% | 6.4 ms | 1.1 min | 2 |
| ElectraON | 2025 | eFRET GEVI | positive | 2.51× | 1.1 / 0.58 | +10% | 0.1% | 22.8% | 4.8 ms | — | 1 |
| ElectricPk | 2012 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.32× | 2.2 / 36 | -1.2% | 0.02% | 0.7% | 4.4 ms | — | 1 |
| FlicR1 | 2016 | VSD-single FP | positive | 0.34× | 3.4 / 3.7 | +6.6% | 0.067% | 2.6% | 6.8 ms | 48 s | 5 |
| FlicR2 | 2018 | VSD-single FP | positive | 0.50× | 16 / 16 | +12.9% | 0.14% | — | — | — | 2 |
| FORCE1s | 2026 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | positive | 0.22× | 3.7 / 6.0 | +267% | 1.2% | 92.7% | 3.8 ms | — | 1 |
| HArclight1 | 2021 | Chemigenetic GEVI | negative | 1.81× | 5.1 / 5.7 | -3.5% | 0.05% | — | — | — | 1 |
| HASAP1 | 2021 | Chemigenetic GEVI | positive | 1.81× | 2.2 / 2.4 | +9.3% | 0.075% | 3.7% | 15 ms | — | 1 |
| HVI | 2021 | Chemigenetic GEVI | negative | 2.10× | 1.7 / 2.5 | -39.1% | 0.28% | 25.3% | 12 ms | 1.2 min | 3 |
| HVI+ | 2025 | Chemigenetic GEVI | positive | 1.11× | 6.8 / 5.5 | +55% | 0.22% | 22.3% | 9.5 ms | 3.2 min | 1 |
| Jarvis | 2026 | eFRET GEVI | positive | 1.39× | 2.7 / 1.9 | +29% | 0.2% | 25% | 1.7 ms | 2.1 min | 1 |
| JEDI-1P | 2023 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.89× | 5.1 / 6.2 | -56% | 0.9% | 31.2% | 4.9 ms | 54 s | 7 |
| JEDI-2P | 2022 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.51× | 2.1 / 2.8 | -48% | 0.7% | 18.2% | 1.6 ms | 14 s | 14 |
| JEDI-3hyp | 2026 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.41× | 1.2 / 2.1 | -51.5% | 1.9% | 36.4% | 3.8 ms | — | 1 |
| JEDI-3sub | 2026 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.46× | 1.1 / 2.2 | -63.5% | 1.3% | 42.8% | 3.9 ms | — | 1 |
| LOTUS-V | 2017 | Bioluminescent GEVI | positive | — | 129 / 103 | +21% | 0.14% | 2.8% | 11 ms | bioluminescent (no photobleaching) | 2 |
| MacQ-mCitrine | 2014 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 1.96× | 21 / 20 | -20% | 0.2% | 4.8% | 10 ms | 2.6 s | 5 |
| MacQ-mOrange2 | 2014 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 1.96× | 7.4 / 6.9 | -20% | 0.25% | 7.2% | — | 6.5 s | 1 |
| Marina | 2017 | VSD-single FP | positive | 0.44× | 29 / 33 | +29% | 0.25% | 1.4% | — | 49 s | 4 |
| Mermaid | 2008 | VSD-FRET GEVI | positive | 1.29× | 10 / 19 | +40% | 0.25% | 1.6% | — | 4.1 s | 9 |
| Mermaid2 | 2013 | VSD-FRET GEVI | positive | — | 3.5 / 10 | +48.5% | 0.35% | 2.57% | — | — | 1 |
| nirButterfly | 2020 | VSD-FRET GEVI | negative | 0.04× | 2.2 / 2.1 | -9.8% | 0.1% | -6% | — | 1.0 min | 2 |
| NovArch | 2021 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.01× | 3.3 / 5.7 | +41% | 0.41% | 28% | 5.9 ms | 33.6 min | 2 |
| pAce | 2022 | eFRET GEVI | positive | 2.40× | 0.69 / 1.2 | +30.5% | 0.33% | 10.7% | 4.3 ms | 32 s | 7 |
| pAceR | 2022 | eFRET GEVI | positive | 0.59× | 3.8 / 4.1 | +27.8% | 0.2% | 3.2% | 2.7 ms | 41 s | 2 |
| Pado | 2016 | VSD-single FP | negative | — | 93 / 10 | -5% | 0.05% | — | — | — | 1 |
| paQuasAr3 | 2019 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.0012× | 8.1 / 4.7 | +40% | 0.4% | 23.5% | 1.8 ms | 3.3 h | 12 |
| Positron | 2020 | Chemigenetic GEVI | positive | 1.56× | 3.4 / 4.3 | +23% | 0.25% | 5.9% | — | 48 s | 3 |
| Positron2 | 2022 | Chemigenetic GEVI | positive | — | — | +37% | 0.38% | 15% | — | — | 1 |
| PROPS | 2011 | Opsin GEVI | positive | — | 4.7 / 4.7 | +150% | 0.8% | — | — | — | 4 |
| QuasAr1 | 2014 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.0028× | 0.24 / 0.29 | +32% | 0.25% | 21% | 2.6 ms | — | 1 |
| QuasAr2 | 2014 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.00086× | 1.1 / 1.5 | +90% | 0.7% | 48% | 4.5 ms | 3.1 h | 23 |
| QuasAr6a | 2023 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.0066× | 2.3 / 1.6 | +73% | 0.7% | 23% | 2.4 ms | 5.2 h | 5 |
| QuasAr6b | 2023 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.0078× | 1.6 / 1.5 | +24% | 0.2% | 14% | 1.6 ms | 4.7 h | 2 |
| rEstus | 2024 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.85× | 14 / 51 | -62% | 1.3% | — | — | — | 5 |
| rEstus-NI | 2025 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.84× | 181 / 433 | -57% | 1.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| rEstus2s | 2026 | VSD-cpGFP GEVI | negative | 0.56× | 12 / 42 | -83% | 1.6% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Solaris | 2024 | Chemigenetic GEVI | negative | — | 2.5 / 2.5 | -53% | 1% | -28.1% | 12 ms | — | 1 |
| SomArchon | 2019 | Opsin GEVI | positive | 0.01× | 0.60 / 1.1 | +30% | 0.35% | 43% | 4.7 ms | 49.0 min | 16 |
| VADER1 | 2026 | VSD-single FP | positive | 0.42× | 1.4 / 5.2 | +42% | 0.067% | 40% | 3.6 ms | — | 1 |
| VARNAM | 2018 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 0.85× | 3.0 / 2.8 | -10.8% | 0.1% | 4.8% | 3.6 ms | 30 s | 7 |
| VARNAM2 | 2022 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 0.85× | 0.95 / 1.2 | -19.1% | 0.23% | 7.3% | 5.3 ms | 1.7 min | 3 |
| Vega | 2025 | eFRET GEVI | negative | 6.80× | 1.3 / 3.7 | -33.1% | 0.5% | 17.1% | 4.8 ms | 4.7 min | 1 |
| Voltron | 2019 | Chemigenetic GEVI | negative | 11.04× | 2.0 / 2.2 | -23% | 0.21% | 6.16% | 3 ms | 25 s | 9 |
| Voltron2 | 2023 | Chemigenetic GEVI | negative | 7.18× | 4.0 / 5.5 | -34% | 0.51% | 10.09% | 3.2 ms | 42 s | 23 |
| VSFP-Butterfly | 2012 | VSD-FRET GEVI | positive | 1.74× | 7.7 / 90 | +6% | 0.042% | 0.3% | — | — | 28 |
| VSFP1 | 2001 | VSD-FRET GEVI | positive | — | 0.74 / 0.74 | +1.8% | 0.018% | — | — | — | 1 |
| VSFP2.1 | 2007 | VSD-FRET GEVI | positive | — | 15 / 75 | +2.7% | 0.086% | — | — | — | 2 |
| VSFP2.3 | 2008 | VSD-FRET GEVI | positive | 1.74× | 49 / 70 | -8.3% | 0.15% | 0.2% | — | — | 8 |
| VSFP3.1 | 2009 | VSD-FRET GEVI | negative | 0.79× | 25 / NaN | -1.3% | 0.02% | 0.075% | — | — | 5 |
Tools
- Family tree — lineage of every sensor
- Brightness network — pairwise brightness comparisons anchored to EGFP
- Performance scatter — plot any two metrics, or expressions of metrics, against each other
- Action potential simulator — simulated optical spike responses
- About & how to cite
Data and citation
- llms.txt — summary for language models
- llms-full.txt — every sensor in full (Markdown)
- gevis.json — all values and measurements with sources (JSON)
- gevis.csv — one row per sensor (CSV)
Cite GEVIBench as: Adam E. Cohen and Daozheng Gong (2026). Voltage imaging: A practical guide. Neuron. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2026.08.002
Generated from the GEVIBench database on 2026-10-12.