The ERG Explorer is a Java^TM software, which allows for the independence of the platform and operating system. It is based on the Better Swing Application Framework (BSAF), which implements the infrastructure common to most desktop applications, like application life-cycle management, localization and internationalization, session state persistence, and implementation of the model-view-controller pattern. ERG Explorer features a plug-in system, allowing it to import visual electrophysiological data from different sources. The plug-in system is based on the Java ServiceLoader API. Currently, three plug-ins are implemented: 1) Importing electrophysiological recordings from the Espion database; 2) Read and write visual electrophysiological data in ElVisML format; 3) Reading Center software for the exchange of visual electrophysiological data in multi-center clinical trials.

Processing of data is done using iDSL4SigProc, which is, in turn, based on Apache Commons Math for mathematical computations and JScience for managing quantities together with their units. Data visualization and charting are implemented using JFreeChart, reporting using JasperReports. ERG Explorer is based completely on open source software and leverages many other software frameworks and libraries in addition to those mentioned.

The ERG Explorer is being in use for several years in the clinical routine at the University Eye Hospital Tuebingen, the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University, USA, and the University Eye Hospital Basel, Switzerland. The developed standardized reports help the clinicians to reliably interpret the results of visual electrophysiological recordings.