A wearable device capable of long-term electroencephalogram and electrocardiogram measurement

Abstract

The wearable device includes a sensor unit and a control unit. The sensor unit is attached to the head above the user's neck and includes a plurality of electrodes that detect electrical signals from the head. Based on the difference between the electrical signals detected by two of the plurality of electrodes, the user's brain waves are detected, and based on the difference between the electrical signals detected by two other of the plurality of electrodes, the user's electrocardiogram is detected. The control unit is electrically connected to the sensor unit and converts the analog signals of the brain waves and electrocardiogram detected by the sensor unit into digital signals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - References to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2022 - 0069046 filed on June 7, 2022 and Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2022 - 0153739 filed on November 16, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of the Korean patent applications are included as part of this specification.

[0002] The present invention relates to a wearable device, and more particularly, to a wearable device capable of collecting biosignals such as electroencephalogram and electrocardiogram for a long time.

Background Art

[0003] In living organisms including humans, various electrical signals generically called biosignals are generated. Biosignals include electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG), ballistocardiogram (BCG), and photoplethysmogram (PPG). By analyzing such biosignals, various information regarding the state of the living organism can be obtained.

[0004] Among various biosignals, the electroencephalogram and the electrocardiogram are signals that respectively indicate the states of the brain and the heart, which are the most important organs indispensable for human survival, and it can be said that their importance is extremely high among biosignals.

[0005] Generally, the electroencephalogram is acquired on the user's head, and the electrocardiogram is acquired on the chest. Therefore, in order to realize a device for measuring the electroencephalogram and the electrocardiogram together, it is necessary to separately provide a sensor for attachment to the head and a sensor for attachment to the chest for biosignal measurement. This complicates the configuration of the device, increases its volume, and causes inconvenience in using the device by the user.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present invention simultaneously measures the brain waves and electrocardiogram of a user. By limiting the body part to be measured to a narrower area, the components of the device for measurement are simplified, enabling miniaturization and weight reduction, and providing a wearable device that can more conveniently measure brain waves and electrocardiograms simultaneously.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The wearable device according to one embodiment includes a sensor unit and a control unit. The sensor unit is attached to the head above the user's neck and includes a plurality of electrodes that detect electrical signals from the head. Based on the difference in the electrical signals detected by two of the plurality of electrodes, the brain waves of the user are detected, and based on the difference in the electrical signals detected by another two of the plurality of electrodes, the electrocardiogram of the user is detected. The control unit is electrically connected to the sensor unit and converts the analog signals of the brain waves and electrocardiogram detected by the sensor unit into digital signals.

[0008] The sensor unit can include an electroencephalogram acquisition unit that detects the electroencephalogram of the user and an electrocardiogram acquisition unit that detects the electrocardiogram of the user. The plurality of electrodes can include active electrodes, reference electrodes, ground electrodes, and two electrocardiogram electrodes.

[0009] The active electrodes can include two frontal lobe electrodes and two temporal lobe electrodes. The electroencephalogram acquisition unit can acquire electroencephalograms based on the difference between the electrical signals detected by the active electrodes and the electrical signals detected by the reference electrodes.

[0010] On the other hand, the active electrodes can include a first active electrode having two frontal lobe electrodes and a second active electrode having two temporal lobe electrodes. When the user's head is divided into a left region and a right region, the measurement positions of the first active electrode and the second active electrode can each belong to at least one of the left region and the right region.

[0011] The electroencephalogram acquisition unit can acquire at least one electroencephalogram of the left and right brains with respect to the frontal lobe based on the difference between the electrical signal detected by the first active electrode and the electrical signal detected by the reference electrode, and can acquire at least one electroencephalogram of the left and right brains with respect to the temporal lobe based on the difference between the electrical signal detected by the second active electrode and the electrical signal detected by the reference electrode.

[0012] The two electrocardiogram electrodes can be respectively positioned in the left and right regions of the head, and the electrocardiogram acquisition unit can acquire an electrocardiogram based on the difference between the electrical signals respectively detected by the two electrocardiogram electrodes.

[0013] The two frontal lobe electrodes can be positioned at either the Fp1 and Fp2 positions or the F7 and F8 positions. The two temporal lobe electrodes can be positioned at either the T3 and T4 positions or the T5 and T6 positions. With the central axis of the head perpendicular to the ground, the reference electrode can be positioned closer to the ground than the two temporal lobe electrodes. The plurality of electrodes can be composed of hydrogel electrodes.

[0014] The sensor unit can further include an acceleration sensor and an acceleration acquisition unit that measures three-axis position information according to the movement of the user using the acceleration sensor. The sensor unit can include a first electrode support part and a second electrode support part extended from the first electrode support part toward the user's forehead. The plurality of electrodes can be attached to the first electrode support part and the second electrode support part, and the first electrode support part and the second electrode support part can be composed of a flexible material.

[0015] The control unit can include a filter unit that filters the output signal of the sensor unit, an analog-digital conversion unit that converts the filtered analog output signal into a digital signal, and a communication unit that transmits the converted digital signal to a mobile device.

[0016] The sensor unit can be connected to the control unit via a connection line, and the control unit can be connected to the mobile device via a wired connection unit. The sensor unit and the control unit can be powered by the mobile device. On the other hand, the wearable device can further include a power source for supplying power to the sensor unit and the control unit. The communication unit may be a wireless communication unit including at least one of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 4G mobile communication, and 5G mobile communication, and the control unit can be connected to the mobile device via the wireless communication unit.

[0017] The sensor unit and the control unit can be used to monitor, diagnose, and predict the symptoms of central nervous system diseases.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] The present invention can simultaneously measure the user's brain waves and electrocardiogram, limit the body part to be measured to a narrow area, simplify the components of the device for measurement, enable miniaturization and weight reduction, and can more conveniently measure the brain waves and electrocardiogram simultaneously.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can easily implement them. The present invention can be realized in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described here.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the configuration of the wearable device according to the first embodiment.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, the wearable device 100 of the first embodiment is a device that simultaneously measures biological signals including electroencephalogram and electrocardiogram on the user's head, and can selectively measure acceleration. In the following description, all "acceleration" can be replaced with "angular velocity".

[0023] Electroencephalogram is an electrical signal generated by the activity of the brain. Such electroencephalogram can be used for the diagnosis of brain diseases such as epilepsy, stroke, and brain tumors, and recently, it is not only used for the diagnosis of diseases, but also for monitoring the brain activity of the subject, such as perception ability and cognitive ability tests.

[0024] An electrocardiogram is an electrical signal generated by the contraction and relaxation of the heart and serves as material for interpreting the heart's operation. By observing an electrocardiogram, one can basically know the speed and a certain degree of the heartbeat, and thereby judge the presence or absence of heart-related diseases such as myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and arrhythmia.

[0025] Acceleration is the three-axis acceleration in the front-back, left-right, and up-down directions due to the user's movement. The degree of the user's movement can provide information regarding the error occurrence time in biometric signal detection. Therefore, the user's movement can be measured using acceleration information.

[0026] Generally, electroencephalograms are acquired at the user's head, electrocardiograms are acquired at the user's chest, and acceleration is acquired at the wrist. However, the wearable device 100 according to the first embodiment can measure both electroencephalograms and electrocardiograms at the user's head and selectively measure acceleration as well. In the wearable device 100 of the first embodiment, the user's head can be the head above the neck.

[0027] The wearable device 100 of the first embodiment includes a sensor unit 120 that measures biometric signals and a control unit 150 electrically connected to the sensor unit 120. The control unit 150 receives the biometric signals measured by the sensor unit 120, converts the analog signals into digital signals, and inputs the digital signals to the mobile device 500.

[0028] The sensor unit 120 includes an electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 that acquires the user's electroencephalogram and an electrocardiogram acquisition unit 122 that acquires the user's electrocardiogram. Each of the electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 and the electrocardiogram acquisition unit 122 can be composed of a plurality of electrodes that detect electrical signals from the head above the user's neck. Based on the difference in the electrical signals detected by two of the plurality of electrodes, the electroencephalogram and the electrocardiogram can be acquired respectively.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the configuration of the wearable device according to the first embodiment and the wearing state of the user, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the sensor unit shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a drawing showing the installation positions of a plurality of electrodes. In FIG. 4, the pair of sensor units have the same configuration.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 can collect biological signals by two temporal lobe electrodes 131 and two frontal lobe electrodes 132. In one embodiment, the electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 can include active electrodes, a reference electrode 133, and a ground electrode 134, and the two temporal lobe electrodes 131 and the two frontal lobe electrodes 132 can be active electrodes.

[0031] The active electrodes can detect electrical signals at a first position on the skin surface of the user's forehead and at a second position on the skin surface of the user's temporal region, respectively. The first position may be the positions of Fp1 and Fp2 in FIG. 5, and the second position may be the positions of T3 and T4 in FIG. 5. Depending on the head structure, size, and lesion site of the subject, the first position can be the positions of F7 and F8 in FIG. 5, and the second position can be the positions of T5 and T6 in FIG. 5.

[0032] The ground electrode 134 can detect an electrical signal at a third position on the skin surface of the temporal region, and the reference electrode 133 can detect an electrical signal at a fourth position on the skin surface of the temporal region. The second position and the third position can exist on the skin surface above either one of the user's cranial prominences. The fourth position can be located below the second position from the ground in a state where the central axis of the user's head is perpendicular to the ground.

[0033] The ground electrode 134 is for detecting the electrical signals of other electrodes, and the electrical signals detected by the active electrodes described below mean the voltage difference between the active electrodes and the ground electrode. The electrical signals detected by other electrodes other than the active electrodes also mean the voltage difference between the electrode and the ground electrode 134.

[0034] The electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 can acquire an electroencephalogram based on the difference between the electrical signal detected by the active electrode and the electrical signal detected by the reference electrode 133, and can use two to four channels. At this time, the difference between the two electrical signals can be used as a raw electroencephalogram, and an electroencephalogram can be acquired through additional signal processing.

[0035] In another embodiment, the electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 may include a first active electrode, a second active electrode, and a reference electrode. The two frontal lobe electrodes 132 may be the first active electrode, and the two temporal lobe electrodes 131 may be the second active electrode.

[0036] The first active electrode can detect an electrical signal at the fifth position on the skin surface of the user's forehead, and the second active electrode can detect an electrical signal at the sixth position on the skin surface of the user's temporal region. The reference electrode 133 can detect an electrical signal at the seventh position on the skin surface of the user's temporal region.

[0037] The fifth position, the sixth position, and the seventh position can be the same as the first position, the second position, and the fourth position described above, respectively. When the user's forehead and temporal region are divided into a left region and a right region, the fifth position and the sixth position can belong to at least one of the left region and the right region.

[0038] In this case, the electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 can acquire the electroencephalogram of the left brain or the right brain for the frontal lobe or the electroencephalograms of both the left brain and the right brain based on the difference between the electrical signal detected by the first active electrode and the electrical signal detected by the reference electrode 133, and can acquire the electroencephalogram of the left brain or the right brain for the temporal lobe or the electroencephalograms of both the left brain and the right brain based on the difference between the electrical signal detected by the second active electrode and the electrical signal detected by the reference electrode 133.

[0039] In the two embodiments described above, the electrocardiogram acquisition unit 122 can include two electrocardiogram electrodes 135. The two electrocardiogram electrodes 135 can detect electrical signals on the skin surface of the user's temporal region. When the user's head is divided into a left region and a right region, either one of the two electrocardiogram electrodes 135 is located in the left region and the other is located in the right region. The electrocardiogram electrode 135 can be positioned at a distance from the reference electrode 133 along a direction parallel to the ground.

[0040] The electrocardiogram acquisition unit 122 can acquire an electrocardiogram based on the difference between the electrical signal detected by either one of the two electrocardiogram electrodes 135 and the electrical signal detected by the other electrocardiogram electrode. Either one of the two electrocardiogram electrodes 135 can be an active electrode for electrocardiogram measurement, and the other can be a reference electrode for electrocardiogram measurement.

[0041] The sensor unit 120 can include a pair of sensor unit main bodies 141, a first electrode support part 142 coupled to each of the pair of sensor unit main bodies 141, a second electrode support part 143 extending from the first electrode support part 142 toward the user's forehead, and a plurality of electrodes 130 located inside each of the first and second electrode support parts 142 and 143 and in contact with the user's skin surface. The plurality of electrodes 130 are the plurality of electrodes constituting the above-described electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 and electrocardiogram acquisition unit 122, and each of the first and second electrode support parts 142 and 143 can be made of a flexible material that can easily bend in response to the flexion of the user's skin.

[0042] The sensor unit main body 141 can be configured with a separable structure into two parts. One of the two parts can be coupled to the first and second electrode support parts 142 and 143, and the other can be coupled to a connection sensor 145 described later.

[0043] The plurality of electrodes 130 can be composed of wet electrodes, specifically, can be composed of hydrogel-based electrodes. Wet electrodes have less frictional noise and signal noise than dry electrodes, and can stably collect signals while being in close contact with the skin. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of electrodes 130 can include a hydrogel layer that contacts the skin, a conductive material layer that is located inside the hydrogel layer and functions as an actual electrode, a connector terminal that is located inside the conductive material layer, and a non-conductive material layer that is located inside the connector terminal.

[0044] The sensor unit 120 can include an acceleration sensor and an acceleration acquisition unit 123 that measures three-axis position information according to the movement of the user using the acceleration sensor. The acceleration sensor can be mounted inside the sensor unit main body 141.

[0045] The acceleration sensor provides a direct current (DC) component proportional to the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration acting in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the acceleration sensor is arranged. Also, when the acceleration sensor is accelerating in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the acceleration sensor is arranged, the acceleration sensor provides an alternating current (AC) component proportional to the magnitude of the movement acceleration of the component perpendicular to the plane. The output of the DC component of the acceleration sensor can provide information regarding the degree of inclination of the acceleration sensor.

[0046] The acceleration acquisition unit 123 can utilize the inclination angle of the acceleration sensor obtained from the output of the acceleration sensor to grasp the form of the movement of the user's head. Also, the acceleration acquisition unit 123 can grasp the degree of movement of the user's head from the output of the alternating current (AC) component of the acceleration sensor.

[0047] The sensor unit 120 can further include an impedance measurement unit 124. The impedance measurement unit 124 measures the contact impedance between each of the plurality of electrodes 130 and the skin of the user with which each of the plurality of electrodes 130 is in contact, and can output, according to a predetermined method, a signal for identifying an electrode among the plurality of electrodes 130 whose contact impedance exceeds a predetermined value.

[0048] The user can wear the sensor unit 120 with the above-described configuration at a position adjacent to at least one of both ears, and the plurality of electrodes 130 can maintain the skin-attached state by the first and second support portions 142 and 143. The plurality of electrodes 130 can be integrally coupled to the sensor unit main body 141 by the first and second support portions 142 and 143, or can be configured to be easily detached and attached to the sensor unit main body 141 by a physical device or a permanent magnet device, etc. For example, the plurality of electrodes 130 can be coupled to a wired connector terminal and can be configured to be easily detached and attached as needed by the user.

[0049] The sensor unit 120 and the control unit 150 can be connected by a connection line 145. The analog signals of the brain waves, electrocardiograms, and selectively acquired accelerations acquired by the sensor unit 120 are transmitted to the control unit 150 through the connection line 145 and can be output as digital brain wave output signals, electrocardiogram output signals, and acceleration output signals, respectively. The control unit 150 can include a filter unit 151, an analog-to-digital (A-D) conversion unit 152, and a communication unit 153, and can be connected to a mobile device by a connection portion.

[0050] The filter unit 151 can perform filtering by applying a band-pass filter having a predetermined first pass band to the brain wave output signal of the sensor unit 120, and can perform filtering by applying a band-pass filter having a predetermined second pass band to the electrocardiogram output signal. The control unit 150 can perform software processing of the biological signals in order to more accurately extract the characteristics of the biological signals, such as emphasizing the characteristics of the biological signals by the filter unit 151 or removing noise other than the biological signals.

[0051] The analog-to-digital conversion unit 152 converts the electroencephalogram output signal and the electrocardiogram output signal filtered by the filter unit 151 into digital signals by applying the first sampling rate and the second sampling rate respectively. At this time, the first sampling rate can be determined based on the maximum frequency of the first passband, and the second sampling rate can be determined based on the maximum frequency of the second passband.

[0052] The communication unit 153 transmits the electroencephalogram output signal and the electrocardiogram output signal converted into digital signals to the mobile device 500 through the connection part at the first transmission speed and the second transmission speed respectively. The ratio between the first transmission speed and the second transmission speed can be determined based on the ratio between the first sampling rate and the second sampling rate.

[0053] The connection part connecting the control unit 150 and the mobile device 500 may be a wired connection part 161. The control unit 150 can use the wired connection part 161 to be integrally coupled to the wired connection terminal of the mobile device 500 or coupled to any one position of the cable connecting the sensor unit 120 and the wired connection terminal of the mobile device 500. The control unit 150 can transmit the electroencephalogram output signal, the electrocardiogram output signal, and the acceleration output signal converted into digital signals to the mobile device 500 and transmit them to the server system using the wireless communication module of the mobile device 500.

[0054] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the control unit among the wearable devices shown in FIG. 2.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the control unit 150 includes a control unit main body 162 that houses the aforementioned filter unit 151, analog-to-digital conversion unit 152, and communication unit 153. The control unit main body 162 can be provided with wearing means such as a clip 163. The control unit main body 162 is connected to a pair of sensor unit main bodies 141 by a pair of connection lines 145 and can be connected to the mobile device 500 by a wired connection part 161.

[0056] The wearable device 100 of the first embodiment does not include a power source necessary for driving the sensor unit 120 and the control unit 150, and can receive power supply from the mobile device 500 through the wired connection unit 161. Therefore, the wearable device 100 of the first embodiment can measure biological signals continuously for a long time such as 12 hours, and the overall configuration can be miniaturized and lightened, so it is very easy to use in daily life.

[0057] Next, a wearable device according to the second embodiment will be described. The wearable device of the second embodiment is configured in the same or similar configuration as the first embodiment described above, except that it is a wireless type. Hereinafter, mainly the configuration different from the first embodiment will be described.

[0058] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing the configuration of the wearable device according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a drawing showing the wearing state of the wearable device according to the second embodiment realized in the form of a neckband. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the wearable device shown in FIG. 7.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, the wearable device 200 of the second embodiment includes a sensor unit 120 that measures biological signals, and a control unit 170 electrically connected to the sensor unit 120. The control unit 170 receives the biological signal measured by the sensor unit 120, converts the analog signal into a digital signal, and transmits the digital signal to the mobile device 500 using the wireless communication unit 163.

[0060] The sensor unit 120 can include an electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121, an electrocardiogram acquisition unit 122, an acceleration acquisition unit 123, and an impedance measurement unit 124. The electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 can collect biological signals by two temporal lobe electrodes 131 and two frontal lobe electrodes 132.

[0061] In one embodiment, the electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 can include active electrodes, a reference electrode 133, and a ground electrode 134, and the two temporal lobe electrodes 131 and the two frontal lobe electrodes 132 may be active electrodes. In another embodiment, the electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 can include a first active electrode, a second active electrode, and a reference electrode 133. The two frontal lobe electrodes 132 can also be the first active electrodes, and the two temporal lobe electrodes 131 may be the second active electrodes. In the two embodiments, the electrocardiogram acquisition unit 122 can include two electrocardiogram electrodes 135. The process of the electroencephalogram acquisition unit 121 acquiring the electroencephalogram and the process of the electrocardiogram acquisition unit 122 acquiring the electrocardiogram in the sensor unit 120 are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

[0062] The sensor unit 120 can include a pair of first electrode support parts 142, a second electrode support part 143 extending from the first electrode support part 142 toward the user's forehead, and a plurality of electrodes 130 located inside each of the first and second electrode support parts 143 and contacting the user's skin surface. The plurality of electrodes 130 can be composed of wet electrodes, specifically, electrodes of the hydrogel type.

[0063] The acceleration acquisition unit 123 measures three-axis position information corresponding to the movement of the user using an acceleration sensor. The sensor unit 120 and the control unit 170 can share one main body 175, and the acceleration sensor can be mounted inside the main body 175. The control unit 170 can include a filter unit 171, an analog-digital conversion unit 172, and a wireless communication unit 173, and can be connected to the mobile device 500 by the wireless communication unit 173. The configurations and operations of the filter unit 171 and the analog-digital conversion unit 172 are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

[0064] The wireless communication unit 173 can include at least one of the short-range wireless technology standards Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) for wireless LAN, Long Term Evolution (LTE) for 4G mobile communication, and 5G (5th Generation) for 5G mobile communication.

[0065] The control unit 170 can transmit the brain wave output signal, electrocardiogram output signal, and acceleration output signal converted into digital signals to the wireless communication module of the mobile device 500 through the wireless communication unit 173, and transmit them to the server system using the wireless communication module of the mobile device 500. Using the software provided in the mobile device 500, the electrical signals received from the control unit 170 can be analyzed and transmitted to the server, and the biological signal recording and transmission to the server can be performed in real time.

[0066] The wearable device 200 of the second embodiment includes a power source 180 necessary for driving the sensor unit 120 and the control unit 170. The power source 180 can be configured with a normal battery, but is not limited to such an example.

[0067] In FIG. 8, the wearable device is configured in the form of a neckband, and a pair of main bodies 175 can be integrally connected by a semicircular connecting member 176 that wraps around the back of the user's neck. The neckband-shaped wearable device has an integrated configuration in which the sensor unit and the control unit share one main body 175, which is advantageous for miniaturizing the entire wearable device. The wearable device 200 of the second embodiment can be realized in a form that is easy to use in daily life, such as a hairband, glasses, and earphones, in addition to the form of a neckband.

[0068] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a wearable device according to a second embodiment realized in a hair band form. In FIG. 10, the wearable device 201 includes a hair band portion 191 that surrounds the user's head so as to be in close contact with the user's forehead and occipital region. The sensor unit 120 is fixedly installed on the hair band portion 191 so that a plurality of electrodes come into contact with the user's skin, and the control unit can be installed inside the hair band portion 191. The sensor unit 120 and the control unit can be connected by a connection line 145.

[0069] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a wearable device according to a second embodiment realized in a glasses form. In FIG. 11, the wearable device 202 includes a glasses frame 192 and glasses legs 193. The sensor unit 120 is fixedly installed at the end of the glasses leg 193 so that a plurality of electrodes come into contact with the user's skin, and the control unit can be installed inside the glasses leg 193.

[0070] FIGS. 12 and 13 are perspective views of a wearable device according to a second embodiment realized in an earphone form. In FIGS. 12 and 13, the wearable device 203 includes a ring 194 that is worn on the user's ear. The sensor unit 120 and the control unit 170 are connected and installed on the ring 194, and a pair of rings 194 can be integrally connected by a wire 195. The earphone-shaped wearable device 203 can measure frontal lobe brain waves by a method such as omitting the frontal lobe electrodes of the foregoing embodiments or installing a separate patch.

[0071] The wearable devices 100, 200, 201, 203, 203 according to the foregoing first and second embodiments can be utilized for the diagnosis and prediction of brain diseases such as lightning syndrome, stroke, and brain tumor, and can monitor, diagnose, and predict the symptoms of various central nervous system diseases such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, depression, sleep disorder, consciousness disorder, stress, and dementia.

[0072] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made and implemented within the scope of the claims, the detailed description of the invention, and the appended drawings, and it is natural that these also belong to the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wearable device comprising: a sensor unit that is mounted on the head above the user's neck and includes a plurality of electrodes for detecting an electrical signal from the head, and detects an electroencephalogram of the user based on a difference between electrical signals detected by two of the plurality of electrodes, and detects an electrocardiogram of the user based on a difference between electrical signals detected by another two of the plurality of electrodes; a control unit that is electrically connected to the sensor unit and converts analog signals of the electroencephalogram and electrocardiogram detected by the sensor unit into digital signals .

2. The sensor unit includes an electroencephalogram acquisition unit for detecting an electroencephalogram of the user and an electrocardiogram acquisition unit for detecting an electrocardiogram of the user, The plurality of electrodes include active electrodes, reference electrodes, ground electrodes, and two electrocardiogram electrodes. The wearable device according to claim 1.

3. The active electrodes include two frontal lobe electrodes and two temporal lobe electrodes, The electroencephalogram acquisition unit acquires an electroencephalogram based on a difference between an electrical signal detected by the active electrode and an electrical signal detected by the reference electrode. The wearable device according to claim 2.

4. The active electrodes include a first active electrode having two frontal lobe electrodes and a second active electrode having two temporal lobe electrodes, When the user's head is divided into a left region and a right region, the measurement positions of the first active electrode and the second active electrode each belong to at least one of the left region and the right region. The wearable device according to claim 2.

5. The electroencephalogram acquisition unit acquires an electroencephalogram of at least one of the left and right brains with respect to the frontal lobe based on a difference between an electrical signal detected by the first active electrode and an electrical signal detected by the reference electrode, and acquires an electroencephalogram of at least one of the left and right brains with respect to the temporal lobe based on a difference between an electrical signal detected by the second active electrode and an electrical signal detected by the reference electrode. The wearable device according to claim 4.

6. The two electrocardiogram electrodes are respectively located in the left region and the right region of the head, The electrocardiogram acquisition unit acquires an electrocardiogram based on a difference between electrical signals respectively detected by the two electrocardiogram electrodes. The wearable device according to claim 2.

7. The two frontal lobe electrodes are located at either the Fp1 and Fp2 positions or the F7 and F8 positions, The two temporal lobe electrodes are located at either the T3 and T4 positions or the T5 and T6 positions, The wearable device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the reference electrode is located closer to the ground than the two temporal lobe electrodes in a state where the central axis of the head is perpendicular to the ground.

8. The wearable device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of electrodes are made of hydrogel electrodes.

9. The wearable device according to claim 2, wherein the sensor unit further includes an acceleration sensor and an acceleration acquisition unit that measures three-axis position information according to the movement of the user using the acceleration sensor.

10. The sensor unit includes a first electrode support part and a second electrode support part extending from the first electrode support part toward the forehead of the user. The plurality of electrodes are mounted on the first electrode support part and the second electrode support part. The wearable device according to claim 2, wherein the first electrode support part and the second electrode support part are made of a flexible material.

11. The control unit includes a filter unit that filters the output signal of the sensor unit, an analog-digital conversion unit that converts the filtered analog output signal into a digital signal, and a communication unit that transmits the converted digital signal to a mobile device. The wearable device according to claim 2.

12. The sensor unit is connected to the control unit via a connection line. The control unit is connected to the mobile device via a wired connection part. The wearable device according to claim 11, wherein the sensor unit and the control unit receive power supply from the mobile device.

13. It further includes a power source for supplying power to the sensor unit and the control unit. The communication unit is a wireless communication unit including at least one of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, fourth-generation mobile communication, and fifth-generation mobile communication. The wearable device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is connected to the mobile device via the wireless communication unit.

14. The wearable device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit and the control unit are used to monitor, diagnose, and predict symptoms of central nervous system diseases.

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