Gel electroencephalogram electrode with protective shell
By designing an upper and lower protective shell and a middle gel protective shell on the gel EEG electrode, the problem of signal acquisition in areas with hair was solved, achieving stable and high-quality EEG monitoring, extending the electrode's lifespan and improving wearing comfort.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TSINGHUA SHENZHEN INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE SCHOOL
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing gel EEG electrodes are difficult to achieve long-term stable signal acquisition in areas with hair, and are easily interfered with by hair, resulting in discomfort and decreased reliability.
The structure employs an upper and lower protective shell and a middle gel protective shell to encapsulate the gel electrode. Utilizing a design of flexible and rigid materials, it isolates hair interference, maintains the biocompatibility and self-adhesion of the gel electrode, and achieves stable adhesion.
It enables high-quality, long-term EEG signal monitoring in hairy areas, extends electrode lifespan, improves wearing comfort and signal stability, and adapts to different application scenarios.
Smart Images
Figure CN121891016A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to electroencephalogram (EEG) electrodes for measuring electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, and more particularly to a gel EEG electrode with a protective shell. Background Technology
[0002] As our understanding of human physiological signals deepens, electrophysiological signals are increasingly being studied. Action potentials (EPPs) form the basis of various physiological electrical signals, and the recorded and measured electrophysiological signals can be considered combinations of EEPs. Among the many physiological electrical signals, electroencephalograms (EEGs) are the most widely studied, primarily because they are extremely weak and typically the most difficult to detect. EEG signals are generally classified according to their frequency into alpha waves, beta waves, and delta waves, among others. These complex signals collectively constitute the human brain's electrical signal, reflecting the body's physiological and psychological state, and can also be used to monitor and prevent many diseases. For example, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease are all associated with abnormal EEG activity, thus exhibiting abnormal signal patterns or frequency changes in EEG signals.
[0003] However, in actual clinical monitoring, in order to better and more accurately monitor the state of epilepsy patients, the monitoring of EEG signals is usually a long-term, continuous process. However, due to the limitations of electrode conditions, a series of problems usually occur during long-term wear, such as reduced electrode reliability and immune rejection reactions between the electrodes and the human skin surface. Therefore, in order to solve the compatibility problem of wearing in different application scenarios, more and more researchers have devoted themselves to the research of EEG electrodes to provide suitable solutions for EEG monitoring in different scenarios. For long-term EEG signal monitoring, there is an urgent need to develop an EEG electrode that can be worn for a long time, has high stability, and good biocompatibility.
[0004] Among the many types of EEG electrodes, gel electrodes have many advantages, such as being soft, biocompatible, wearable for extended periods, and self-adhesive. However, these very characteristics also make gel electrodes unsuitable for long-term EEG signal acquisition in areas with hair. Therefore, developing a protective shell for gel electrodes that can resist hair interference and allow for prolonged EEG signal measurement is of great significance.
[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only for understanding the background of this application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The main objective of this invention is to overcome the defects in the above-mentioned background technology and provide a gel EEG electrode with a protective shell.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A gel EEG electrode with a protective shell, comprising: Upper protective shell, lower protective shell, and a shelled gel electrode assembly disposed between the two; The shelled gel electrode assembly includes a protective shell for the gel electrode, a gel electrode encapsulated therein, and a conductive electrode such as an Ag-AgCl electrode disposed on top. The upper protective shell is fitted onto the upper part of the shelled gel electrode assembly, fixing the conductive electrode such as the Ag-AgCl electrode and connecting it to an external measuring device. The lower protective shell is fitted onto the bottom of the gel electrode protective shell to protect the lower part of the shelled gel electrode assembly; The gel electrode is biocompatible and adhesive, allowing it to adhere stably to the scalp surface; the overall protective shell structure makes the electrode suitable for long-term EEG signal acquisition in hairy areas.
[0008] Furthermore, the upper protective shell is made of a flexible material, including silicone, PDMS, or EcoFlex; The lower protective shell is made of a hard material, including resin, plastic or acrylic.
[0009] Furthermore, the bottom of the protective shell of the gel electrode is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending hollow cylinders, and the gel electrode has a protrusion adapted to the hollow cylinders; The lower protective shell is provided with a circular hole that matches the position and size of the hollow cylinder, and the hollow cylinder is nested in the circular hole.
[0010] Furthermore, the protective shell of the gel electrode is a disc-shaped structure, with an outer diameter of 11-17.5 mm and an inner diameter of 10-16.5 mm for the top disc; the hollow cylinder has an outer diameter of 2-4 mm, an inner diameter of 1-3 mm, and a length of 4-6 mm.
[0011] Furthermore, the number of hollow cylinders is 6-8, and they are evenly distributed along the bottom circumference of the gel electrode protective shell.
[0012] Furthermore, the protective shell of the gel electrode is made of a flexible material, including PDMS, EcoFlex, or soft gel.
[0013] Furthermore, the upper protective shell has a disc-shaped structure with an inner diameter of 12-18.5 mm, an outer diameter of 13-19.5 mm, a wall thickness of 500-1000 μm, and a height of 5-10 mm.
[0014] Furthermore, the lower protective shell has a disc-shaped structure with an outer diameter of 11-17mm, an inner diameter of 10-16.5mm, and a height of 4-6mm; the outer diameter of the circular hole is 3-5mm, the inner diameter is 2-4mm, and the depth is 4-6mm.
[0015] Furthermore, the Ag-AgCl electrode has a disc-shaped structure, the size of which is adapted to the top size of the protective shell of the gel electrode, and the electrical connection is achieved by the gel adhesion and fixation to the upper protective shell.
[0016] The application of the gel EEG electrode with a protective shell is that the electrode is suitable for any of the following scenarios: wearable EEG monitoring devices, head-mounted interactive devices in smart homes, human daily physiological state monitoring systems, or long-term EEG signal monitoring for epilepsy and nervous system diseases.
[0017] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention provides a gel EEG electrode with a protective shell, mainly comprising an upper protective shell, a lower protective shell, and a gel EEG electrode with a protective shell in the middle. The EEG electrode structure of this invention can effectively resist hair interference, achieve stable EEG signal measurement in hairy areas, and extend the service life of the electrode.
[0018] While gel electrodes possess advantages such as softness, good biocompatibility, long-term wearability, and self-adhesion, they are not ideal for long-term signal acquisition in areas with hair. This invention addresses these issues by adding a protective shell, allowing the gel electrodes to maintain these advantages while preventing adhesion to hair, thus enabling high-quality, long-term signal monitoring in hairy areas. Furthermore, the overall electrode design is flexible, minimizing skin pressure and ensuring comfortable wear. The excellent biocompatibility of the gel material also ensures that long-term wear will not induce immune rejection.
[0019] The EEG electrodes of this invention also have the advantage of being easy to manufacture, allowing for the production of EEG electrodes suitable for measurements in hairy areas under relatively simple process conditions. In this invention, parameters such as electrode size, gel material, shell size and material can be flexibly adjusted according to actual measurement needs and scenarios. For example, electrode size affects signal quality, while shell size and material affect the internal gel state, overall modulus, and wearing comfort, thus adapting to different application occasions.
[0020] Compared to traditional methods that directly use gel electrodes, this invention, through the introduction of a protective shell, not only solves the problem of signal acquisition by flexible electrodes in environments with hair interference, but also significantly extends the lifespan of the electrodes, facilitating more stable monitoring over longer periods. This solution demonstrates good adaptability in various application scenarios, such as wearable EEG monitoring devices, head-mounted interactive devices in smart homes, daily physiological state monitoring systems, and long-term EEG signal monitoring for neurological diseases such as epilepsy, showing broad application prospects.
[0021] Other beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention will be further described below. Attached Figure Description
[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the gel EEG electrode with a protective shell in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structural composition of the shelled gel electrode assembly in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the protective shell for the gel electrode in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] Figure 4 This is a curve showing the relationship between the conductivity of the gel used in the EEG electrodes in this embodiment of the invention and the concentration of the conductive material.
[0026] Reference numerals: 1. Lower protective shell; 2. Gel electrode with protective shell; 3. Upper protective shell; 4. Gel electrode protective shell; 5. Gel electrode; 6. Ag-AgCl electrode; 7. Support structure; 8. Protective structure. Detailed Implementation
[0027] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. It should be emphasized that the following description is merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope and application of the present invention.
[0028] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component. Furthermore, a connection can be used for fixing, coupling, or communication.
[0029] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.
[0030] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of embodiments of the present invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0031] This invention aims to solve the problem that flexible gel electrodes are difficult to stably and for a long time collect EEG signals in hairy areas. It proposes a structure that encapsulates the gel electrode with upper and lower protective shells and a middle gel protective shell, so that the EEG electrode can effectively resist hair interference, extend its service life, and take advantage of the good biocompatibility and comfortable fit of the gel material, so as to achieve high-quality and long-term EEG monitoring in complex scalp environments.
[0032] See Figures 1 to 3 This invention provides a gel electroencephalogram (EEG) electrode with a protective shell, comprising an upper protective shell 3 (top protective shell), a lower protective shell 1 (bottom protective shell), and a shelled gel electrode assembly 2 disposed between the two. The shelled gel electrode assembly 2 includes a gel electrode protective shell 4, a gel electrode 5 encapsulated therein, and a conductive electrode, such as an Ag-AgCl electrode 6, disposed at the top. The upper protective shell 3 is fitted onto the upper part of the shelled gel electrode assembly 2 to fix the conductive electrode, such as the Ag-AgCl electrode 6, and connect it to an external measuring device. The lower protective shell 1 is fitted onto the bottom of the gel electrode protective shell 4 to protect the lower part of the shelled gel electrode assembly 2. The gel electrode 5 has biocompatibility and adhesiveness, thereby forming a stable attachment on the scalp surface. The overall protective shell structure makes the electrode suitable for long-term EEG signal acquisition in hairy areas.
[0033] In some embodiments, see Figures 1 to 3 The bottom of the gel electrode protective shell 4 is provided with multiple downward-extending hollow cylinders, and the gel electrode 5 has protrusions adapted to the hollow cylinders. For example... Figure 1As shown, the lower protective shell 1 has a circular hole that matches the position and size of the hollow cylinder, and the hollow cylinder is nested inside the circular hole. The exterior of the gel electrode protective shell 4 is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the supporting structure 7 and the protective structure 8 together enhance the overall strength of the electrode and prevent the gel electrode 5 from collapsing.
[0034] In some embodiments, see Figures 1 to 3 The protective shell 4 of the gel electrode has a disc-shaped structure, with an outer diameter of 11-17.5 mm and an inner diameter of 10-16.5 mm for the top disc; the hollow cylinder has an outer diameter of 2-4 mm, an inner diameter of 1-3 mm, and a length of 4-6 mm.
[0035] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The number of hollow cylinders is 6-8, and they are evenly distributed around the bottom circumference of the gel electrode protective shell 4.
[0036] In some embodiments, the gel electrode protective housing 4 is made of a flexible material, including PDMS, EcoFlex, or soft gel.
[0037] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 The upper protective shell 3 is made of a flexible material, including silicone, PDMS, or EcoFlex; the lower protective shell 1 is made of a rigid material, including resin, plastic, or acrylic.
[0038] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 The upper protective shell 3 is a disc-shaped structure with an inner diameter of 12-18.5 mm, an outer diameter of 13-19.5 mm, a wall thickness of 500 μm, and a height of 5-10 mm.
[0039] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 The lower protective shell 1 has a disc-shaped structure with an outer diameter of 11-17mm, an inner diameter of 10-16.5mm, and a height of 4-6mm; the outer diameter of the circular hole is 3-5mm, the inner diameter is 2-4mm, and the depth is 4-6mm.
[0040] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The Ag-AgCl electrode 6 has a disc-shaped structure, the size of which is adapted to the top size of the gel electrode protective shell 4, and it is electrically connected to the upper protective shell 3 by gel adhesion. The Ag-AgCl electrode 6 is a medical-grade electrode.
[0041] In some embodiments, the gel electrode 5 comprises PVA, PVP, and a conductive material, wherein the conductive material comprises PDA@PEDOT or carbon nanotubes; the gel electrode 5 is cured by physical crosslinking or chemical crosslinking, and the curing method includes thermal curing, cyclic freeze-thaw, or photocuring. The gel electrode 5 can be a hydrogel electrode, initially in a liquid state with variable fluidity, and the fluidity of its pre-formulated liquid can be controlled by the material ratio.
[0042] The application of the gel EEG electrodes with protective shells is suitable for any of the following scenarios: wearable EEG monitoring devices, head-mounted interactive devices in smart homes, human daily physiological state monitoring systems, or long-term EEG signal monitoring for epilepsy and nervous system diseases.
[0043] This invention proposes a gel EEG electrode with a protective shell, addressing the problems of weak and difficult-to-measure EEG signals, susceptibility to hair interference in existing gel electrodes, and discomfort or decreased reliability with long-term wear. By introducing a synergistic encapsulation structure of upper, lower, and middle gel protective shells, the gel electrode maintains its excellent biocompatibility, soft fit, and self-adhesive properties while effectively isolating hair interference, achieving stable and high-quality signal acquisition in hairy areas. This innovative design not only significantly improves the wearing comfort, signal stability, and lifespan of the electrode during long-term monitoring, but its structural parameters and materials can also be flexibly adjusted according to actual application scenarios. The manufacturing process is simple, and it can be widely used in wearable devices, smart home interaction, daily health monitoring, and long-term EEG monitoring of neurological diseases such as epilepsy.
[0044] The following further describes the implementation methods, advantages, and applications of specific embodiments of the present invention.
[0045] To achieve the aforementioned functions of the electrode, such as good biocompatibility and low pressure on the skin, hydrogel is preferably used as the gel material inside the electrode, i.e., the conductive material of the electrode. Hydrogel, as a highly biocompatible material, plays a vital role in the biomedical field. Furthermore, considering the ease of functionalization of hydrogels, conductive, biocompatible, and low-modulus hydrogel materials can be prepared, which is beneficial for subsequent measurement and recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals.
[0046] refer to Figure 1As can be seen, the entire electrode consists of three main parts: a lower protective shell 1, a gel electrode 2 with a protective shell in the middle, and an upper protective shell 3. The upper protective shell 3 is made of a flexible material (such as PDMS, silicone, or EcoFlex), mainly serving to protect and fix the upper electrode. The lower shell is made of a rigid material (such as resin or acrylic), and its main function is to protect the middle gel electrode and prevent it from rapidly losing water. With the combined effect of these three structures, both the top and bottom of the electrode are well protected. The specific structure of the middle gel electrode with its protective shell will be further described below.
[0047] refer to Figure 2 As can be seen, the electrode with a protective outer shell consists of three parts: a gel electrode protective shell 4, a middle gel electrode 5, and an upper Ag-AgCl electrode 6. The gel electrode protective shell 4 mainly protects the gel electrode 5, preventing it from directly contacting the hair during measurement and avoiding adhesion between the gel electrode and hair, which would affect the measurement results. It also prevents rapid loss of gel moisture, thus ensuring the gel's effectiveness. The middle gel electrode is mainly composed of hydrogel, allowing it to adhere tightly to the scalp. The upper Ag-AgCl electrode is mainly used for connection to the monitoring device. The specific manufacturing process involves injecting the pre-prepared gel solution into the gel electrode protective shell 4 using a syringe, followed by curing, and finally attaching the upper Ag-AgCl electrode to the top of the entire electrode to form a gel electrode with a protective outer shell.
[0048] refer to Figure 3 As can be seen, the outer shell of the gel protective shell consists of two parts: a support structure 7 and a cylindrical shell 8. The support structure 7 is mainly used to improve the overall strength of the electrode and prevent the gel electrode from collapsing due to insufficient intermediate strength. The cylindrical shell 8 is mainly used to provide support and protection.
[0049] In the preferred embodiment, both thermosetting and cyclic freeze-thaw curing are used for curing. The gel obtained by these two methods has a better modulus and can achieve better adhesion to the skin. At the same time, the precursor is a solution with good fluidity, which can be better molded.
[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the protective shell material used is silicone, which has a moderate modulus and low mold manufacturing cost, and can achieve a better hair-parting effect.
[0051] Production example 1 PVA and PVP were selected as the gel materials, and PDA@PEDOT was chosen as the conductive material. The gel material was obtained by thermosetting in an oven at 80℃ for three hours. The Ag-AgCl electrode used was a disc-shaped electrode with a diameter of 16 mm and a thickness of 4 mm. The protective shell material was a soft rubber with a hardness of 65A. The disc dimensions were 17.5 mm outer diameter, 16.5 mm inner diameter, and 500 μm wall thickness. Eight hollow cylinders were formed at the bottom of the disc, each with an outer diameter of 3 mm, an inner diameter of 2 mm, and a wall thickness of 500 μm. The gel precursor solution was injected into the protective shell and then thermoset. A further portion of the precursor solution was then added to the top to cover the Ag-AgCl electrode, followed by another thermosetting to obtain the desired gel electrode, protected by the outer shell.
[0052] Using the three-electrode method of an electrochemical workstation, the gel electrode was first fixed with a Pt electrode to form a sandwich structure. The Pt electrode was 10*30 mm in size, and the gel was 10*10 mm in size. Then, all three components were fixed together, for example, using PI tape. The gel was then immersed in PBS buffer, and the electrochemical workstation's AC impedance measurement mode was used to obtain the electrode conductivity at different concentrations. The bar graph showing the relationship between the gel conductivity and the PDA@PEDOT concentration is shown below. Figure 4 As shown.
[0053] Tensile testing was performed using a universal tensile testing machine. The sample measured 10*5mm and had a thickness of 2mm. The sample was placed on the tensile testing machine, and the tensile speed was set to 10mm / min. The stress-strain curve of the gel was measured, and the tensile modulus of the gel could be calculated using the modulus calculation formula.
[0054] Production example 2 PVA and PVP were selected as the gel materials, and CNTs were chosen as the conductive material. The reaction method was a cyclic freeze-thaw process, involving freezing at -20°C for 12 hours and thawing at room temperature for 6 hours, repeating this process 3-5 times to obtain the desired gel electrode. The Ag-AgCl electrode used was a disc-shaped electrode with a diameter of 10 mm and a thickness of 4 mm. The protective shell material was PDMS, with the disc dimensions being an outer diameter of 11 mm, an inner diameter of 10 mm, and a wall thickness of 500 μm. Six hollow cylinders were formed at the bottom of the disc, each with an outer diameter of 2 mm, an inner diameter of 1 mm, and a wall thickness of 500 μm. The gel precursor solution was injected into the protective shell, and then solidified using the previously described cyclic freeze-thaw process. Subsequently, a portion of the precursor solution was added again to the top, covering the Ag-AgCl electrode, and the process was repeated to obtain the desired gel electrode, protected by the outer shell.
[0055] The conductivity of the gel was tested using the four-probe method. The gel had dimensions of 10*10*2mm and was fixed on the four-probe measuring stage for conductivity testing. Tensile testing was performed using a universal tensile testing machine. The sample measured 10*5mm and had a thickness of 2mm. The sample was placed on the tensile testing machine, and the tensile speed was set to 10mm / min. The stress-strain curve of the gel was measured, and the tensile modulus of the gel could be calculated using the modulus calculation formula.
[0056] In summary, the gel EEG electrode with a protective shell proposed in this invention has advantages such as good biocompatibility, suitability for measurement in hairy areas, and long-term wearability, and can be prepared under relatively simple process conditions.
[0057] The main advantage of this invention compared to traditional technologies lies in providing a protective method for gel electrodes, especially hydrogel electrodes. Under this protective structure, the gel electrodes can perform stable signal detection even with hair interference and support prolonged wear. Compared to directly using gel electrodes for testing, this invention achieves higher-quality EEG signal acquisition while avoiding gel adhesion to hair, effectively solving the problem of flexible electrodes being susceptible to hair interference. Furthermore, the introduction of the protective shell significantly extends the electrode's lifespan, facilitating long-term continuous signal monitoring.
[0058] The solution of this invention exhibits good stability under different testing scenarios, and its size can be adjusted according to usage requirements. Specific application scenarios include: 1. Wearable devices: can be applied to various wearable devices, such as for specific signal monitoring, or combined with smart gloves, robotic arms, etc., to achieve device control through brainwaves and monitor changes in human brainwave signals to operate external devices.
[0059] 2. Smart Home: Electrodes can be embedded in commonly used head-mounted devices (such as VR devices) to assist users in performing multi-functional interactions, such as monitoring whether VR users are in a state of dizziness, processing in real time and reminding users to adjust their state to avoid physical discomfort.
[0060] 3. Daily Human Body Monitoring: By monitoring and providing feedback on common physical conditions such as motion sickness and altitude sickness in real time, the wearer's personal safety is ensured and accidents are prevented.
[0061] 4. Disease monitoring: By monitoring the patient's electroencephalogram (EEG) signals over a long period of time, timely judgment and early warning of the disease state can be achieved, such as monitoring whether an epileptic patient is having a seizure, thereby ensuring the patient's safety.
[0062] The above description provides a further detailed explanation of the present invention in conjunction with specific / preferred embodiments, and it should not be construed that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art, various substitutions or modifications can be made to these described embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all such substitutions or modifications should be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention. In the description of this specification, the reference to terms such as "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "preferred embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicates that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples. Although the embodiments of the present invention and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of protection of the patent application.
Claims
1. A gel electroencephalogram (EEG) electrode with a protective outer shell, characterized in that, include: Upper protective shell, lower protective shell, and a shelled gel electrode assembly disposed between the two; The shelled gel electrode assembly includes a protective shell for the gel electrode, a gel electrode encapsulated therein, and a conductive electrode such as an Ag-AgCl electrode disposed on top. The upper protective shell is fitted onto the upper part of the shelled gel electrode assembly, fixing the conductive electrode such as the Ag-AgCl electrode and connecting it to an external measuring device. The lower protective shell is fitted onto the bottom of the gel electrode protective shell to protect the lower part of the shelled gel electrode assembly; The gel electrode is biocompatible and adhesive, allowing it to adhere stably to the scalp surface; the overall protective shell structure makes the electrode suitable for long-term EEG signal acquisition in hairy areas.
2. The gel EEG electrode with a protective shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper protective shell is made of a flexible material, including silicone, PDMS, or EcoFlex. The lower protective shell is made of a hard material, including resin, plastic or acrylic.
3. The gel EEG electrode with a protective shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the protective shell of the gel electrode is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending hollow cylinders, and the gel electrode has a protrusion adapted to the hollow cylinders. The lower protective shell is provided with a circular hole that matches the position and size of the hollow cylinder, and the hollow cylinder is nested in the circular hole.
4. The gel EEG electrode with a protective shell as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The protective shell of the gel electrode has a disc-shaped structure, with an outer diameter of 11-17.5 mm and an inner diameter of 10-16.5 mm for the top disc; the hollow cylinder has an outer diameter of 2-4 mm, an inner diameter of 1-3 mm, and a length of 4-6 mm.
5. The gel EEG electrode with a protective shell as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The number of hollow cylinders is 6-8, and they are evenly distributed along the bottom circumference of the protective shell of the gel electrode.
6. The gel EEG electrode with a protective shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The protective shell of the gel electrode is made of a flexible material, including PDMS, EcoFlex, or soft gel.
7. The gel EEG electrode with a protective shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper protective shell has a disc-shaped structure with an inner diameter of 12-18.5 mm, an outer diameter of 13-19.5 mm, a wall thickness of 500-1000 μm, and a height of 5-10 mm.
8. The gel EEG electrode with a protective shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower protective shell has a disc-shaped structure with an outer diameter of 11-17mm, an inner diameter of 10-16.5mm, and a height of 4-6mm; the outer diameter of the circular hole is 3-5mm, the inner diameter is 2-4mm, and the depth is 4-6mm.
9. The gel EEG electrode with a protective shell as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The Ag-AgCl electrode has a disc-shaped structure, the size of which is adapted to the top size of the protective shell of the gel electrode, and the electrical connection is achieved by the gel adhesion to the upper protective shell.
10. The application of a gel EEG electrode with a protective shell as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The electrodes are suitable for any of the following scenarios: wearable EEG monitoring devices, head-mounted interactive devices in smart homes, human daily physiological state monitoring systems, or long-term EEG signal monitoring for epilepsy and nervous system diseases.