Multi-guide switching device of transcranial electrical stimulator

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-guide switching device of a transcranial electrical stimulator, which comprises a box body, two ends of the box body are respectively provided with an input port and an output port, the input port is connected with the transcranial electrical stimulator through a signal transmission line, and the output port is connected with an electroencephalogram cap; an input adapter I, an input adapter II, an output adapter I and an output adapter II are respectively mounted on the surface of the box body; the input port, the input adapter I and the input adapter II are communicated with one another; and the output port, the output adapter I and the output adapter II are communicated with one another. The multi-guide switching device has multi-interface adaptability and can be flexibly connected with electrodes and transcranial electrical stimulators on different types of electroencephalogram caps, and a user can perform transcranial electrical stimulation operation more efficiently. Besides, impedance detection is carried out on the detection circuit of the transcranial electrical stimulator through the control module, and the impedance is displayed in real time, so that a safety barrier is added for the use of the transcranial electrical stimulator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of brain electrical stimulation, and in particular discloses a multi-conductor switching device for a transcranial electrical stimulator. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of EEG technology, EEG stimulation technology has gradually entered home and scientific research application scenarios, especially in the treatment of neurological diseases and the improvement of brain function. Generally, a transcranial electrical stimulator (TES) is connected to the electrodes on the EEG cap, and then the EEG cap is placed on the patient's head to ensure that each electrode point is in close contact with the scalp. The transcranial electrical stimulator applies weak current to the cerebral scalp through electrodes to regulate the neural activity and / or excitability of the cerebral cortex, thereby achieving the purpose of treating or assisting in the treatment of a variety of neurological diseases.

[0003] Since there are many types of transcranial electrical stimulators and EEG caps, and the locations on the scalp and the magnitude of the current they act on are different, directly connecting the two cannot achieve the therapeutic effect. Therefore, the connection between the electrodes of the transcranial electrical stimulator and the EEG cap must be adaptable, and a multi-interface adapter device is set between the electrodes and the transcranial electrical stimulator, so that different types of electrodes and transcranial electrical stimulators can be flexibly and conveniently connected and used, and the accurate transmission of stimulation signals can be ensured. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a multi-conductor adapter for a transcranial electrical stimulator, which can quickly transfer the output signal of the transcranial electrical stimulator to a variety of different interfaces, thereby realizing convenient connection and application with an electroencephalogram cap, and can quickly switch between different electrical stimulation schemes to improve the flexibility and efficiency of operation.

[0005] The specific technical solutions of the present invention are as follows:

[0006] A multi-conductor adapter device for a transcranial electrical stimulator comprises a box body, wherein an input port and an output port are respectively installed at two ends of the box body, wherein the input port is connected to the transcranial electrical stimulator via a signal transmission line, and the output port is connected to an electroencephalogram cap; an input adapter 1, an input adapter 2, an output adapter 1, and an output adapter 2 are respectively installed on the surface of the box body; the input port, the input adapter 1, and the input adapter 2 are mutually conductive; and the output port, the output adapter 1, and the output adapter 2 are mutually conductive.

[0007] In a further solution, the output adapter 1 is a 68PIN wiring harness connector, wherein each pin is provided with a signal output terminal 1 and a signal output terminal 2, and the signal output terminal 1 and the signal output terminal 2 are respectively connected to the output port and the output adapter 2.

[0008] In a further embodiment, the input port, the output port, the input adapter 1, the input adapter 2 and the output adapter 2 are one of a DuPont wire connector, a DIN connector and an EEG / EMG connector.

[0009] In a further embodiment, the EEG cap is provided with a plurality of detection electrodes, the detection electrodes are connected to at least one connector via a conductive wire, and the connector is connected to the output port.

[0010] A further solution also includes a control module, which includes an MCU, a relay, a Bluetooth module, and an LED module; the output end of the MCU is respectively connected to the relay, the Bluetooth module, and the LED module; the Bluetooth module communicates wirelessly with the transcranial electrical stimulator; an LED lamp is installed at the site of each signal electrode of the output adapter, and the output end of the LED module is connected to all the LED lamps.

[0011] In a further solution, the coil of the relay is connected to the output end of the MCU, and the contacts of the relay are connected in series between two of the input port, the input adapter 1, and the input adapter 2.

[0012] The control module also includes a battery, the output end of the battery is connected to a DC-DC converter, and the output end of the DC-DC converter is respectively connected to the input end of the MCU, the Bluetooth module, and the LED module for power supply.

[0013] The multi-interface adapter of the multi-conductor adapter of the present application can flexibly connect electrodes on different types of EEG caps and transcranial electrical stimulators, and ensure the accurate transmission of stimulation signals; its fast switching function improves the convenience and safety of the device, allowing users to obtain a more accurate and effective treatment experience.

[0014] The present application realizes impedance detection of the detection circuit of the transcranial electrical stimulator through the control module, thereby ensuring the reliability of the experimental data; the impedance state of the connection circuit between the transcranial electrical stimulator and the electrodes of the EEG cap during operation can be displayed in real time through the LED light; and additional protection measures are provided through the relay, thereby adding a safety barrier to the use of the transcranial electrical stimulator.

[0015] Since the multi-conductor adapter of the present invention has multi-interface adaptability, users can perform transcranial electrical stimulation operations more efficiently, saving time while improving user experience and sense of security.

[0016] The multi-channel switching device of the present invention can simultaneously design multiple brain area electrical stimulation schemes, such as time-interference TI electrical stimulation, HD high-resolution electrical stimulation, and deep brain time-interference electrical stimulation or high-precision electrical stimulation. The multi-channel switching device of the present application can realize rapid switching of stimulation schemes through these ports or connectors to improve operational flexibility and efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 It is a connection diagram of a site in the output adapter 1 and the output adapter 2 and the output port in this application;

[0019] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the connection between the multi-conductor switching device of the present application and the transcranial electrical stimulator and the EEG cap;

[0020] Figure 4 It is a circuit principle block diagram of the control module in this application.

[0021] In the figure: transcranial electrical stimulator 1, signal transmission line 11, multi-conductor adapter 2, input port 21, input adapter 1 22, input adapter 2 23, output adapter 1 24, output adapter 2 25, output port 26, EEG cap 3, detection electrode 31, conductive wire 32, connector 33, control module 4, MCU 41, DC-DC converter 42, battery 43, relay 44, Bluetooth module 45, LED module 46. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The specific implementation of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] See also Figure 1-4 A multi-conductor adapter device of a transcranial electrical stimulator comprises a box body, wherein an input port 21 and an output port 26 are respectively installed at both ends of the box body, wherein the input port 21 is connected to the transcranial electrical stimulator 1 through a signal transmission line 11, and the output port 26 is connected to an electroencephalogram cap 3; an input adapter 1 22, an input adapter 2 23, an output adapter 1 24, and an output adapter 2 25 are respectively installed on the surface of the box body; the input port 21, the input adapter 1 22, and the input adapter 2 23 are mutually conductive; the output port 26, the output adapter 1 24, and the output adapter 2 25 are mutually conductive.

[0024] The EEG cap 3 is provided with a plurality of detection electrodes 31 , and the detection electrodes 31 are connected to at least one connector 33 via a conductive wire 32 , and the connector 33 is connected to the output port 26 .

[0025] In the present application, the multi-conductor switching device 2 forms a switching scheme between the transcranial electrical stimulator 1 and the detection electrode 31 in the EEG cap 2, supporting the switching of electrical stimulation signals of multiple interfaces. First, the stimulation parameters of the transcranial electrical stimulator 1 are set according to the actual situation, and then the input port 21 on the multi-conductor switching device 2 is docked through the signal transmission line 11, and the input port 21 and the input adapter 1 22 and the input adapter 2 23 are mutually conductive in the inner cavity of the box body, that is, the design of switching one port to multiple ports is realized. According to the actual situation, one of the input port 21, the input adapter 1 22, and the input adapter 2 23 is connected to one of the output adapter 1 24, the output adapter 2 25, and the output port 26 using a data line, which can realize the output of the stimulation signal of the transcranial electrical stimulator 1 to the EEG cap 2, and the user's cerebral scalp is stimulated by microcurrent. When applying deep brain time-interference electrical stimulation or performing high-precision electrical stimulation, the multi-channel switching device of the present application uses these ports or connectors to quickly switch stimulation schemes to improve operational flexibility and efficiency.

[0026] The multi-conductor adapter of the present application transmits the output signal of the transcranial electrical stimulator to the detection electrode in the electroencephalogram cap, thereby acting on the user's cerebral scalp. Since the multi-conductor adapter is provided with an input port 21, an input adapter 1 22, an input adapter 2 23, an output adapter 1 24, an output adapter 2 25 and an output port 26, these connectors can realize the conversion of a single electrical stimulation signal output to a wiring harness terminal stimulation signal output, or the conversion of a wiring harness terminal stimulation signal output to a single electrical stimulation signal output; it can also realize the conversion of a single electrical stimulation signal output to a single electrical stimulation signal output, or the conversion of a wiring harness terminal stimulation signal output to a wiring harness terminal stimulation signal output.

[0027] In a further embodiment, the various connectors in this application are commonly used connectors in the field of brain electrical stimulation. Specifically, the output adapter 24 is a 68PIN wiring harness connector, which includes 64 signal electrodes, 1 ground electrode and three reference electrodes. Each signal electrode is provided with a signal output terminal 1 241, a signal output terminal 242 and an LED light 243. The signal output terminal 1 241 and the signal output terminal 242 are respectively connected to the output port 26 and the output adapter 2 25, that is, the corresponding pins are connected through wires (such as Figure 2 , which only shows a connection diagram of one site with the output port 26 and the output adapter 25). The LED light 243 displays the impedance state in the working circuit of the transcranial electrical stimulator through color or frequency.

[0028] The input port 21, the output port 26, the input adapter 1 22, the input adapter 2 23 and the output adapter 2 25 are one of a DuPont line connector, a DIN connector and an EEG / EMG connector.

[0029] In another embodiment, a control module 4 is further included, and the control module 4 includes an MCU 41, a relay 44, a battery 43, a Bluetooth module 45, and an LED module 46; the output end of the MCU 41 is connected to the relay 44, the Bluetooth module 45, and the LED module 46 respectively; the Bluetooth module 45 communicates wirelessly with the transcranial electrical stimulator 1. An LED lamp 243 is installed at the site of each signal electrode of the output adapter 1 24, and the output end of the LED module 46 is connected to all the LED lamps 243. The LED module 46 receives the control signal of the MCU 41 to control the on or off of the LED lamp.

[0030] The output end of the battery 43 is connected to a DC-DC converter 42 , and the output end of the DC-DC converter 42 is respectively connected to the input end of the MCU 41 , the Bluetooth module 45 , and the LED module 46 for power supply.

[0031] Specifically, the coil of the relay 44 is connected to the output end of the MCU 41 , and the contact of the relay 44 is connected in series between the input port 21 and the output port 26 .

[0032] The present application realizes impedance detection of the detection circuit of the transcranial electrical stimulator through the control module, thereby avoiding uneven current distribution or reduced treatment effect caused by excessive impedance. That is, the control module enables the multi-conductor switching device to realize functions such as connection line identification and impedance detection, and provides intelligent control for the multi-conductor switching device.

[0033] In this embodiment, the MCU (microcontroller), Bluetooth module, and LED module are all commercially available products.

[0034] Among them, the MCU (microcontroller) can be selected from the STM32 series (from STMicroelectronics), the MSP430 series (from Texas Instruments), and the Renesas RL78 series (from Renesas Electronics), all of which are applicable to this application. The MCU is used to detect the impedance changes between the transcranial electrical stimulator (TES) and the EEG cap in real time, in order to ensure good contact between the electrode and the scalp during the electrical stimulation process, and to avoid uneven current distribution or reduced treatment effect due to excessive impedance. At the same time, it can also detect the on and off of the circuit and the on and off of the LED light.

[0035] A relay is installed on the joint between the transcranial electrical stimulator and the EEG cap to achieve a quick response and increase protection measures when the impedance is too high. The specific installation method is: the coil of the relay is connected to the output end of the MCU, and the two ends of the contact of the relay are respectively connected to the transcranial electrical stimulator and the EEG cap. In this embodiment, the two ends of the contact of the relay are respectively connected to the input port 21 and the input adapter 22. When the impedance of the working circuit of the transcranial electrical stimulator is too high, the MCU de-energizes the relay coil and disconnects its contacts, even if the circuit between the transcranial electrical stimulator and the EEG cap is disconnected, the electrical stimulation action is stopped, and uneven current distribution or decreased treatment effect caused by excessive impedance is avoided.

[0036] The output voltage of the battery 43 is converted into a suitable voltage by the DC-DC converter 42 to supply power to the MCU 41 , the relay 44 , the Bluetooth module 45 , and the LED module 46 .

[0037] That is, the multi-conductor adapter of the present invention can design a variety of brain area electrical stimulation schemes at the same time, such as time interference TI electrical stimulation, HD high-resolution electrical stimulation, and when applying deep brain time interference electrical stimulation or performing high-precision electrical stimulation, the multi-conductor adapter of the present application can realize rapid switching of stimulation schemes through these ports or connectors to improve the flexibility and efficiency of operation. Before use, the line between the input and output ports (or connectors) is connected to realize the switching of different stimulation schemes of the transcranial electrical stimulator. And the function of automatically switching the stimulation scheme is realized by wireless communication with the transcranial electrical stimulator through the Bluetooth module.

[0038] LED light 243 displays the impedance state in the working circuit of the transcranial electrical stimulator through color or frequency. That is, the present application visualizes the impedance of the working circuit of the transcranial electrical stimulator through the LED light, and can monitor the line conduction state during the transfer, providing the ability to quickly troubleshoot the transfer. When the impedance of the working circuit is too high, the MCU drives the LED light to respond quickly to light up or go out, and at the same time, the relay coil loses power and its contacts are disconnected, even if the circuit between the transcranial electrical stimulator and the EEG cap is disconnected to stop the electrical stimulation action, which provides protection for the safety of both the user and the multi-conductor transfer device.

[0039] The above-described embodiments of the present invention do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present invention. Any modification, equivalent substitution and improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-channel switching device for a transcranial electrical stimulator, characterized in that: The invention comprises a box body, wherein two ends of the box body are respectively provided with an input port (21) and an output port (26); the input port (21) is connected to a transcranial electrical stimulator (1) via a signal transmission line (11), and the output port (26) is connected to an electroencephalogram cap (3); an input adapter 1 (22), an input adapter 2 (23), an output adapter 1 (24), and an output adapter 2 (25) are respectively provided on the surface of the box body; the input port (21), the input adapter 1 (22), and the input adapter 2 (23) are mutually conductive; and the output port (26), the output adapter 1 (24), and the output adapter 2 (25) are mutually conductive.

2. The multi-conductor switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The output adapter 1 (24) is a 68PIN wiring harness connector, wherein each signal electrode is provided with a signal output terminal 1 (241) and a signal output terminal 2 (242), and the signal output terminal 1 (241) and the signal output terminal 2 (242) are respectively connected to the output port (26) and the output adapter 2 (25).

3. The multi-conductor switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The input port (21), the output port (26), the first input adapter (22), the second input adapter (23) and the second output adapter (25) are one of a DuPont line connector, a DIN connector and an EEG / EMG connector.

4. The multi-conductor switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electroencephalogram cap (3) is provided with a plurality of detection electrodes (31), the detection electrodes (31) are connected to at least one connector (33) via a conductive wire (32), and the connector (33) is connected to the output port (26).

5. The multi-conductor switching device according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a control module (4), which includes an MCU (41), a relay (44), a Bluetooth module (45), and an LED module (46); the output end of the MCU (41) is connected to the relay (44), the Bluetooth module (45), and the LED module (46) respectively; the Bluetooth module (45) communicates wirelessly with the transcranial electrical stimulator (1); an LED lamp (243) is installed at the site of each signal electrode of the output adapter (24), and the output end of the LED module (46) is connected to all the LED lamps (243).

6. The multi-conductor switching device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The coil of the relay (44) is connected to the output end of the MCU (41), and the contact of the relay (44) is connected in series between two of the input port (21), the input adapter 1 (22), and the input adapter 2 (23).

7. The multi-conductor switching device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The control module (4) further comprises a battery (43), the output end of the battery (43) is connected to a DC-DC converter (42), and the output end of the DC-DC converter (42) is respectively connected to the input ends of the MCU (41), the Bluetooth module (45), and the LED module (46) for power supply.

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