Biological information acquisition system and electrode sheet

Abstract

To provide a biological information acquisition system of a configuration capable of acquiring an accurate electrical parameter and biological information.SOLUTION: A biological information acquisition system 200 includes: an electrode selection part which is provided with a flexible electrode sheet 100 having a plurality of electrodes 30 arranged in an array shape, acquires an electrical parameter from the plurality of electrodes 30 in the state that the electrode sheet 100 is disposed along a living body 300 so that the plurality of electrodes 30 do not contact the living body 300, and selects an electrode 30 to be used for acquiring the biological information on the basis of the acquired electrical parameter; and a biological information acquisition part which acquires biological information from the electrode 30 selected by the electrode selection part in the state that the electrode sheet 100 is disposed along the living body 300 so that the plurality of electrodes 30 do not contact the living body 300.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a biological information acquisition system and an electrode sheet.

Background Art

[0002] As a biological information acquisition system for acquiring a biological signal of a living body by a capacitive coupling electrode with an insulator interposed between the electrode and the living body, for example, there is one described in Non-Patent Document 1. The biological information acquisition system of Non-Patent Document 1 has a rigid substrate having a plurality of electrodes arranged in an array, and the plurality of electrodes on the substrate are exposed to the outside. When acquiring a biological signal, the clothes of the subject (living body) serve as an insulator, and a capacitor is formed by the electrode, the clothes of the subject (insulator), and the skin of the subject.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the biological information acquisition system described in Non-Patent Document 1 still has room for improvement from the viewpoint of acquiring a more accurate electrocardiogram waveform.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a biological information acquisition system and an electrode sheet having a structure capable of acquiring more accurate biological information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, a flexible electrode sheet having a plurality of electrodes arranged in an array, With the electrode sheet positioned along the body so that the plurality of electrodes do not come into contact with the body, an electrode selection unit acquires electrical parameters from the plurality of electrodes and selects an electrode to be used for acquiring biological information based on the acquired electrical parameters. With the electrode sheet positioned along the living body such that the plurality of electrodes are not in contact with the living body, a biological information acquisition unit acquires the biological information from the electrodes selected by the electrode selection unit, Equipped with 、 The electrode selection unit detects changes in capacitance in each of the plurality of electrodes as electrical parameters, integrates the data sets of the detected capacitances of each of the plurality of electrodes, generates image data showing the distribution of capacitance in the arrangement area of ​​the plurality of electrodes, determines the posture of the living organism based on the image data, and selects the electrodes to be used to acquire the biological information based on the posture determination result. A biometric information acquisition system will be provided. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a flexible electrode sheet having a plurality of electrodes arranged in an array, With the electrode sheet positioned along the body so that the plurality of electrodes do not come into contact with the body, an electrode selection unit acquires electrical parameters from the plurality of electrodes and selects an electrode to be used for acquiring biological information based on the acquired electrical parameters. With the electrode sheet positioned along the living body such that the plurality of electrodes are not in contact with the living body, a biological information acquisition unit acquires the biological information from the electrodes selected by the electrode selection unit, Equipped with, The electrode sheet comprises a plurality of unit sheets that are interconnected, Each of the unit sheets comprises a stretchable substrate, a plurality of stretchable wirings formed on the stretchable substrate and extending in parallel to one another, and a plurality of electrodes formed at one end of two or more of the plurality of stretchable wirings. The plurality of unit sheets are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes, Each of the stretchable wirings of one unit sheet that is not terminated by an electrode is individually connected to the stretchable wirings of other unit sheets adjacent to that unit sheet. The aforementioned multiple unit sheets are interconnected via relay sheets. Each of the aforementioned relay sheets comprises a stretchable relay substrate and a plurality of stretchable relay wirings formed on the stretchable relay substrate and extending in parallel to one another. A biometric information acquisition system is provided in which the stretchable wiring of one unit sheet and the stretchable wiring of the other unit sheet are interconnected via the stretchable relay wiring.

[0007] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a plurality of interconnected unit sheets are provided, Each of the aforementioned unit sheets comprises a stretchable substrate, a plurality of stretchable wirings formed on the stretchable substrate and extending in parallel to one another, and a plurality of electrodes formed at one end of two or more of the stretchable wirings. The plurality of unit sheets are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes, Of the stretchable wirings of the one unit sheet, each of the stretchable wirings not terminated by the electrodes is individually connected to the stretchable wiring of another unit sheet adjacent to the one unit sheet Occasionally, An expandable cover that covers the plurality of expandable wirings is placed on top of the expandable substrate, In the aforementioned plurality of expandable wirings, the end on the adjacent unit sheet side is a connection terminal portion exposed from the expandable cover. An electrode sheet is provided. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a plurality of interconnected unit sheets are provided, Each of the aforementioned unit sheets comprises a stretchable substrate, a plurality of stretchable wirings formed on the stretchable substrate and extending in parallel to one another, and a plurality of electrodes formed at one end of two or more of the stretchable wirings. The plurality of unit sheets are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes, Each of the stretchable wirings of one unit sheet that is not terminated by an electrode is individually connected to the stretchable wirings of other unit sheets adjacent to that unit sheet. The aforementioned multiple unit sheets are interconnected via relay sheets. Each of the aforementioned relay sheets comprises a stretchable relay substrate and a plurality of stretchable relay wirings formed on the stretchable relay substrate and extending in parallel to one another. The stretchable wiring of one unit sheet and the stretchable wiring of the other unit sheet are interconnected via the stretchable relay wiring. An electrode sheet is provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it becomes easy to arrange the electrode sheet so as to follow the unevenness of the body surface of the living body, so that more accurate electrical parameters and biological information can be obtained respectively.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] [Figure 1] It is a schematic plan view showing an electrode sheet according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a schematic end view showing an electrode sheet according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a schematic exploded end view showing an electrode sheet according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a schematic plan view showing the first unit sheet in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5(a) is a partially enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5(b) is a partially enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. 5(a). [Figure 6] FIG. 6(a) is a partially enlarged view of part B shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6(b) is a partially enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. 6(a). [Figure 7] It is a partially enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 8] Figures 8(a) and 8(b) illustrate the capacitively coupled electrode in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a block diagram of the biological information acquisition system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a diagram illustrating the three-point induction method in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a plan view of the electrode sheet unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram showing the electrode sheet unit in the first embodiment attached to a sheet. [Figure 13] Figures 13(a), 13(b), and 13(c) are schematic diagrams showing the posture of a living organism in the first embodiment, of which Figure 13(a) shows the left-facing lateral position, Figure 13(b) shows the supine position, and Figure 13(c) shows the right-facing lateral position. [Figure 14] Figures 14(a), 14(b), and 14(c) are plan views showing an example of three electrodes selected by the electrode selection unit in the first embodiment. Of these, Figure 14(a) shows the three electrodes selected in the posture shown in Figure 13(a), Figure 14(b) shows the three electrodes selected in the posture shown in Figure 13(b), and Figure 14(c) shows the three electrodes selected in the posture shown in Figure 13(c). [Figure 15] Figure 15(a) is an electrocardiogram acquired using the biological information acquisition system according to the first embodiment, and Figure 15(b) is a magnified view of part A shown in Figure 15(a). [Figure 16] Figures 16(a) and 16(b) are schematic end views showing an electrode sheet according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 17] This is a schematic end view showing an electrode sheet according to the second embodiment. [Figure 18] This is a schematic exploded end view showing an electrode sheet according to the second embodiment. [Figure 19] Figures 19(a), 19(b), and 19(c) are grayscale image data showing the capacitance distribution in Examples 1 to 3. [Figure 20]Figures 20(a), 20(b), and 20(c) are image data showing the capacitance distribution in comparative examples 1 to 3 in grayscale. [Figure 21] This graph shows the change in resistance value of the stretchable wiring in Example 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 15(b). In all drawings, the same reference numerals are used for similar components, and descriptions are omitted where appropriate. Figures 2 and 3 show the cut end face of the electrode sheet 100 along the CC line in Figure 1. In Figures 1 and 4, components of the electrode sheet 100 other than the electrode 30 and the expandable wiring 20 are shown by dashed lines. In Figures 5(b) and 6(b), components other than the expandable wiring 20 and the expandable relay wiring 43 are shown by dashed lines.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the biological information acquisition system 200 according to this embodiment includes a flexible electrode sheet 100 having a plurality of electrodes 30 arranged in an array. Furthermore, the biological information acquisition system 200 includes an electrode selection unit that acquires electrical parameters from multiple electrodes 30 and selects an electrode 30 to be used for acquiring biological information based on the acquired electrical parameters, while the electrode sheet 100 is positioned along the biological body 300 so that the multiple electrodes 30 do not come into contact with the biological body 300 (see Figure 12); and a biological information acquisition unit that acquires biological information from the electrode 30 selected by the electrode selection unit while the electrode sheet 100 is positioned along the biological body 300 so that the multiple electrodes 30 do not come into contact with the biological body 300. Note that "selecting electrodes 30" here means "selecting only some of the electrodes 30 from among multiple electrodes 30," and does not mean "selecting all of the multiple electrodes 30."

[0012] In the biological information acquisition system 200, biological information is acquired with an insulator 350 (e.g., clothing, etc.) interposed between multiple electrodes 30 and the living body 300 (e.g., skin 360). That is, the biological information acquisition system 200 acquires biological information using capacitively coupled electrodes. More specifically, as shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), a capacitor 370 is formed by the electrodes 30, the insulator 350, and the skin 360, so that the biological information acquisition unit can acquire electrical signals from the living body 300. Based on the acquired electrical signals, the biological information acquisition unit can acquire biological information such as electrocardiogram waveforms, heart rate, and respiration. Furthermore, since a capacitor 370 is formed by multiple electrodes 30, an insulator 350, and skin 360, it is also possible to acquire (measure) the capacitance accumulated in each electrode 30, for example (details will be described later). Here, from the viewpoint of obtaining more accurate electrical parameters and biological information, it is preferable that each of the electrodes 30, among the plurality of electrodes 30, that is positioned in a location corresponding to the living body 300, is positioned to follow the irregularities of the body surface of the living body 300.

[0013] According to this embodiment, since the electrode sheet 100 having a plurality of electrodes 30 is flexible, the electrode sheet 100 can expand and contract and bend to conform to the unevenness of the body surface of the living organism 300. This makes it easier to position each of the electrodes 30 on the electrode sheet 100 that are located in a position corresponding to the living body 300, following the irregularities of the living body surface, compared to the case where multiple electrodes 30 are formed on a rigid substrate. As a result, the capacitance of the capacitor 370 formed by the electrodes 30, the insulator 350, and the skin 360 can be stably secured, allowing for the acquisition of more accurate electrical parameters and biological information. Furthermore, because the electrode sheet 100 is flexible, its flexibility and moisture permeability can be sufficiently ensured. Therefore, it is possible to realize an electrode sheet 100 and, consequently, a biological information acquisition system 200 that is less invasive and more comfortable to use.

[0014] First, we will explain the electrode sheet 100 of the biological information acquisition system 200 in more detail. In the following, when explaining the positional relationships between the various components of the electrode sheet 100, the upper side in Figure 2 will be referred to as the upper side or upward, and the opposite side will be referred to as the lower side or downward. Similarly, the left side in Figure 2 will be referred to as the left side or leftward, and the opposite side will be referred to as the right side or rightward. However, these directional designations are for convenience only and do not limit the direction in which the electrode sheet 100 is manufactured or used. Furthermore, the left-right direction in Figures 1 to 3 is referred to as the X direction. 1 The vertical direction in this diagram is referred to as the Y direction. The X and Y directions are parallel to the plane direction of the electrode sheet 100 (horizontal direction) and are perpendicular to the vertical direction in Figure 2 (direction perpendicular to the plane of the electrode sheet 100).

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the electrode sheet 100 comprises, for example, a plurality of unit sheets 10 that are connected to each other. As a result, each unit sheet 10 can be formed with relatively smaller dimensions compared to the case where the electrode sheet 100 is a single sheet material, thus enabling high-yield manufacturing of the unit sheets 10. Furthermore, by selecting good quality units from multiple unit sheets 10 manufactured with smaller dimensions and connecting them to form a single electrode sheet 100, it is possible to easily manufacture a high-quality electrode sheet 100 with the desired dimensions. In this embodiment, as an example, the electrode sheet 100 comprises three unit sheets 10 arranged side by side in the left-right direction (X direction). Hereinafter, these three unit sheets 10 will be referred to as the first unit sheet 10a, the second unit sheet 10b, and the third unit sheet 10c, respectively, from right to left. Each of the unit sheets 10 (first unit sheet 10a to third unit sheet 10c) is formed in a roughly rectangular shape, for example, with an elongated length in the X direction in a plan view. That is, the longitudinal direction of each unit sheet 10 coincides with the direction in which the unit sheets 10 are arranged. In this invention, the number of unit sheets 10 provided in the electrode sheet 100 is not particularly limited and can be set appropriately according to the application of the electrode sheet 100, the shape and external dimensions of the object to which the electrode sheet 100 is attached, etc. Furthermore, in the present invention, the electrode sheet 100 does not comprise multiple unit sheets 10, but may be composed of a single sheet material.

[0016] As shown in any of Figures 1 to 3, each unit sheet 10 is a laminate formed in a sheet shape. More specifically, each unit sheet 10 (first unit sheet 10a to third unit sheet 10c) comprises a stretchable base material 11, a plurality of stretchable wirings 20 formed on the stretchable base material 11 and extending in parallel to one another, a plurality of electrodes 30 formed at one end of two or more of the plurality of stretchable wirings 20, and a stretchable cover 50 covering the plurality of stretchable wirings 20. As shown in Figures 1, 2, 5(a), and 6(a), for example, in the direction of arrangement of the unit sheets 10 (i.e., the X direction), a gap is formed between one unit sheet 10 and another unit sheet 10 adjacent to that unit sheet 10. However, in the present invention, gaps do not need to be formed between adjacent unit sheets 10. The gap between one unit sheet 10 and another unit sheet 10 adjacent to that unit sheet 10 is preferably 1.5 mm or less, and in this embodiment, for example, it is 1 mm.

[0017] The stretchable substrate 11 is a thin film sheet material that can stretch in at least one direction in the in-plane direction. Preferably, the stretchable substrate 11 can stretch in two directions in the in-plane direction. The stretchability of the stretchable substrate 11 in the in-plane direction may be isotropic, or it may be anisotropic, where the stretchability in multiple directions in the in-plane direction is different from each other. Here, stretchability refers to the property of the stretchable substrate 11 to stretch when tension is applied and to contract in response to compressive force, and the change in dimensions and shape of the stretchable substrate 11 is greater due to stretching than to contraction. With this configuration, when the electrode sheet 100 is positioned along the living body 300, the stretchable base material 11 can expand, contract, and bend to conform to the irregularities of the living body surface 300. This makes it possible to make the gap between the electrode 30, which is positioned in a position corresponding to the living body 300, and the living body 300 uniform. Therefore, the capacitance of the capacitor 370 formed by the electrode 30, the insulator 350, and the skin 360 can be secured more stably.

[0018] The stretchable base material 11 is composed of, for example, a thermoplastic resin. Preferably, the thermoplastic resin exhibits hot-melt properties at 50°C or higher. Furthermore, the stretchable base material 11 is composed of, for example, an insulating material. The material constituting the stretchable base material 11 is not particularly limited, but examples include nitrile rubber, latex rubber, urethane-based elastomers, and other elastomer materials. The thickness of the stretchable substrate 11 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100 μm or less, and more preferably 25 μm or less.

[0019] The stretchable base material 11 preferably has a maximum elongation of 10% or more, more preferably 50% or more, even more preferably 100% or more, and particularly preferably 200% or more. If the stretchable base material 11 is configured as described above, it is possible to achieve, for example, a maximum elongation of 300% or more. Here, the maximum elongation of the stretchable base material 11 refers to the maximum value of the elongation that allows elastic deformation in one direction in the in-plane direction. In this embodiment, elongation refers to the ratio of the lengthening in one direction in the in-plane direction when a force is applied, compared to the dimension when no external force is applied (hereinafter referred to as the 0% elongation dimension). For example, an elongation of 50% means that the lengthening is 1.5 times that of the 0% elongation dimension, and an elongation of 100% means that the lengthening is twice that of the 0% elongation dimension.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the multiple electrodes 30 are formed directly on one surface 11a of the stretchable substrate 11, for example. In this embodiment, the electrode sheet 100 has multiple electrodes 30 arranged in two rows in the Y direction, for example, with 15 electrodes 30 arranged in the X direction in each row. That is, the electrode sheet 100 has a total of 30 electrodes 30 arranged in 2 rows and 15 columns. More specifically, in each of the unit sheets 10 (the first unit sheet 10a to the third unit sheet 10c), the multiple electrodes 30 are arranged in two rows in the Y direction, for example, with five electrodes 30 arranged in the X direction in each row. That is, in each of the unit sheets 10, the total of 2 rows and 5 columns 1 0 electrodes 30 are arranged. In the following description, the multiple electrodes 30 arranged in one row in the Y direction will be referred to as the first electrode 30a, and the multiple electrodes 30 arranged in the other row in the Y direction will be referred to as the second electrode 30b. Multiple first electrodes 30a are arranged in a straight line in the X direction with multiple first electrodes 30a on an adjacent unit sheet 10, and multiple second electrodes 30b are arranged in a straight line in the X direction with multiple second electrodes 30b on an adjacent unit sheet 10. Each electrode 30 is set to have the same shape and dimensions as the others, for example. Each electrode 30 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape, for example, slightly elongated in the Y direction when viewed from above. In this invention, the number of electrodes 30 provided in each unit sheet 10 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set according to the application of the electrode sheet 100, the shape and external dimensions of the object to which the electrode sheet 100 is attached, etc. Each of the multiple electrodes 30 has, for example, a dimension of 40 mm in the X direction and a dimension of 50 mm in the Y direction. Multiple electrodes 30 are spaced apart from each other in the X direction and are arranged at equal intervals. The distance between adjacent electrodes 30 in the X direction is preferably 10 mm to 30 mm, and in this embodiment, it is 20 mm as an example. Similarly, in the Y direction, the multiple electrodes 30 are spaced apart from each other. The distance between adjacent electrodes 30 in the Y direction is preferably, for example, 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less, and in this embodiment, it is 20 mm as an example. With this configuration, interference between adjacent electrodes 30 in the unit sheet 10 can be suppressed. However, in the present invention, the spacing between adjacent electrodes 30 is not limited to this example. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, in this embodiment, in the Y direction, the distance between the upper edge of each of the first electrodes 30a and the upper edge of the electrode sheet 100 is smaller than the distance between the lower edge of each of the second electrodes 30b and the lower edge of the electrode sheet 100. By doing so, as will be described later, when multiple electrode sheets 100 are arranged in close proximity to each other in the Y direction (see Figure 11), multiple electrodes 30 can be arranged at equal intervals in the Y direction.

[0021] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the multiple stretchable wires 20 are formed directly on one surface 11a of the stretchable substrate 11, for example. Each of the stretchable wires 20 extends in the X direction, for example. More specifically, each of the stretchable wires 20 includes, for example, a portion that extends in the X direction and a portion that slopes upward as described later, but overall it generally extends in the X direction. Furthermore, each unit sheet 10 (first unit sheet 10a to third unit sheet 10c) is provided with multiple stretchable wirings 20, which include multiple first stretchable wirings 20a and multiple second stretchable wirings 20b. Each of the multiple first stretchable wirings 20a is positioned, for example, on the other side (below in Figures 1 and 4) of the multiple first electrodes 30a in the Y direction. Similarly, each of the multiple second stretchable wirings 20b is positioned, for example, on the other side (below in Figures 1 and 4) of the multiple second electrodes 30b in the Y direction. In a single unit sheet 10, a first electrode 30a is formed at one end of two or more of the multiple first stretchable wirings 20a. That is, two or more first stretchable wirings 20a are terminated at the first electrode 30a. On the other hand, each of the remaining first stretchable wirings 20a that are not terminated at the first electrode 30a extends, for example, from the left end to the right end of the stretchable substrate 11. Similarly, in a single unit sheet 10, a second electrode 30b is formed at one end of two or more of the multiple second stretchable wirings 20b. That is, two or more second stretchable wirings 20b are terminated at the second electrode 30b. On the other hand, each of the remaining second stretchable wirings 20b that are not terminated at the second electrode 30b extends, for example, from the left end to the right end of the stretchable substrate 11. However, as will be described later, in the third unit sheet 10c, all first stretchable wirings 20a are terminated at the first electrode 30a, and there are no first stretchable wirings 20a that are not terminated at the first electrode 30a. Similarly, in the third unit sheet 10c, all second stretchable wirings 20b are terminated at the second electrode 30b, and there are no first stretchable wirings 20b that are not terminated at the second electrode 30b. 2 There is no stretchable wiring 20b.

[0022] The stretchable cover 50 is, for example, placed on top of one surface 11a of the stretchable base material 11. The stretchable cover 50 covers each of the multiple stretchable wirings 20 and the multiple electrodes 30. More specifically, the lower surface of the stretchable cover 50 is in substantially full direct contact with the upper surface (one surface 11a) of the stretchable substrate 11, except for the respective formation areas of the stretchable wirings 20 and electrodes 30.

[0023] The stretchable cover 50, like the stretchable base material 11, is composed of a thermoplastic resin. Furthermore, the material constituting the stretchable cover 50 is not particularly limited, but for example, it is an elastomer material similar to the stretchable base material 11, and has insulating and stretchable properties. However, the stretchable cover 50 only needs to be made of a material that is at least insulating and stretchable, and may be made of a different material from the stretchable base material 11. The thickness of the stretchable cover 50 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ensuring sufficient stretchability of the electrode sheet 100, it is preferably 100 μm or less, and more preferably 25 μm or less.

[0024] Here, as shown in Figures 5(a), 6(b), and 7, in multiple expandable wirings 20, the end on the adjacent unit sheet 10 side is exposed from the expandable cover 50 and forms a connection terminal portion 25 (the first connection terminal portion 25a to the fourth connection terminal portion 25d described below) that is connected to the expandable wiring 20 of another unit sheet 10 adjacent to the unit sheet 10 in question. More specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, each of the stretchable base material 11 and the stretchable cover 50 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape that is elongated in the X direction. However, in the X direction, the length dimension of the stretchable cover 50 is smaller than the length dimension of the stretchable base material 11. In the first unit sheet 10a, the left end of each of the multiple stretchable wirings 20 that extend to the left edge of the stretchable base material 11 (stretchable wirings 20 that are not terminated at the electrode 30) is exposed from the left edge of the stretchable cover 50 and forms a first connection terminal portion 25a (see Figures 5(b) and 7) that is connected to the stretchable wiring 20 of the second unit sheet 10b. In the second unit sheet 10b, each of the right ends of the expandable wiring 20 is exposed from the right edge of the expandable cover 50 and forms a second connection terminal portion 25b (Figures 5(b) and 7) connected to the expandable wiring 20 of the first unit sheet 10a. Also in the second unit sheet 10b, each of the left ends of the expandable wiring 20 (same as above) that extends to the left edge of the expandable base material 11 is exposed from the left edge of the expandable cover 50 and forms a third connection terminal portion 25c (see Figure 6(b)) connected to the expandable wiring 20 of the third unit sheet 10c. In the third unit sheet 10c, each of the right ends of the expandable wiring 20 is exposed from the right end of the expandable cover 50 and forms a fourth connection terminal portion 25d (see Figure 6(b)) that is connected to the expandable wiring 20 of the second unit sheet 10b. The number of first connection terminals 25a provided in the first unit sheet 10a is the same as the number of second connection terminals 25b provided in the second unit sheet 10b, and one second connection terminal 25b is connected to one first connection terminal 25a. Similarly, the number of third connection terminals 25c provided in the second unit sheet 10b is the same as the number of fourth connection terminals 25d provided in the third unit sheet 10c, and one fourth connection terminal 25d is connected to one third connection terminal 25c. As shown in Figure 5(b), each of the first connection terminals 25a is positioned on the extension of the corresponding second connection terminal 25b and is connected to the second connection terminal 25b via a retractable relay wiring 43, which will be described later. Similarly, each of the third connection terminals 25c is positioned on the extension of the corresponding third connection terminal 25c and is connected to the fourth connection terminal 25d via a retractable relay wiring 43, which will be described later.

[0025] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the number of expandable wirings 20 (first expandable wiring 20a and second expandable wiring 20b) provided in each unit sheet 10 decreases in the order of first unit sheet 10a, second unit sheet 10b, and third unit sheet 10c. More specifically, in the first unit sheet 10a, for example, 15 first stretchable wires 20a are formed, and one first electrode 30a is formed at the left end of each of the five first stretchable wires 20a. The left end of each of the remaining (10) first stretchable wires 20a is a first connection terminal portion 25a. Similarly, in the first unit sheet 10a, for example, 15 second stretchable wires 20b are formed, and one second electrode 30b is formed at the left end of each of the five second stretchable wires 20b. The left end of each of the remaining (10) second stretchable wires 20b is a first connection terminal portion 25a. In the second unit sheet 10b, for example, 10 first stretchable wires 20a are formed, and one first electrode 30a is formed at the left end of each of the 5 first stretchable wires 20a. The left end of each of the remaining (5) first stretchable wires 20a is a third connection terminal portion 25c. Similarly, in the second unit sheet 10b, for example, 10 second stretchable wires 20b are formed, and one second electrode 30b is formed at the left end of each of the 5 second stretchable wires 20b. The right end of each of the remaining (5) second stretchable wires 20b is a second connection terminal portion 25b, and the left end is a third connection terminal portion 25c. In the third unit sheet 10c, for example, five first stretchable wirings 20a are formed, and one first electrode 30a is formed at the left end of each of these five first stretchable wirings 20a. Similarly, in the third unit sheet 10c, for example, five second stretchable wirings 20b are formed, and one first electrode 30a is formed at the left end of each of these five second stretchable wirings 20b. 2 electrode 30 b In other words, the third unit sheet 10c does not have a first stretchable wiring 20a that is not terminated at the first electrode 30a, nor a second stretchable wiring 20b that is not terminated at the second electrode 30b.

[0026] In this manner, the multiple unit sheets 10 are arranged in a line, for example, in the direction of the arrangement of the multiple electrodes 30 (in this embodiment, the X direction), and each of the stretchable wirings 20 of one unit sheet 10 that are not terminated at an electrode 30 is individually connected to the stretchable wirings 20 of other unit sheets 10 adjacent to that unit sheet 10. In this embodiment, if multiple electrodes 30 are arranged in both the Y direction (rows) and the X direction (columns), then "the direction of arrangement of the multiple electrodes 30" refers to the direction of arrangement with a larger number of rows or columns. Furthermore, as described above, each of the unit sheets 10 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape with an elongated length in the X direction. Therefore, the longitudinal direction of each unit sheet 10 coincides with the direction in which the multiple electrodes 30 are arranged. Similarly, as described above, each of the stretchable wirings 20 extends in the X direction. Therefore, the direction of extension of each of the stretchable wirings 20 also coincides with the direction of alignment of the multiple electrodes 30.

[0027] Here, multiple unit sheets 10 are interconnected via, for example, relay sheets 40 (see Figures 5(a) and 6(a)). In this embodiment, the electrode sheet 100 includes, for example, a relay sheet 40, which comprises a first relay sheet 40a connecting the first unit sheet 10a and the second unit sheet 10b, and a second relay sheet 40b connecting the second unit sheet 10b and the third unit sheet 10c. The external shapes of the first relay sheet 40a and the second relay sheet 40b are formed to be the same in dimensions and shape as each other, for example, in a plan view. Each of the first relay sheet 40a and the second relay sheet 40b is formed in a substantially rectangular shape that is elongated in the Y direction in a plan view, for example. More specifically, in this embodiment, the first relay sheet 40a is arranged, for example, spanning from the left edge of the first unit sheet 10a to the right edge of the second unit sheet 10b. Similarly, the second relay sheet 40b is positioned, for example, across the left edge of the second unit sheet 10b to the right edge of the third unit sheet 10c.

[0028] Each of the relay sheets 40 (first relay sheet 40a and second relay sheet 40b) has a stretchable relay base material 41 and a plurality of stretchable relay wirings 43 formed on the stretchable relay base material 41 and extending in parallel to one another. As shown in Figures 5(a) to 7, the stretchable wiring 20 of one unit sheet 10 and the stretchable wiring 20 of another unit sheet 10 are interconnected via stretchable relay wiring 43. In this way, the relay sheet 40 interconnects adjacent unit sheets 10. However, in the present invention, the relay sheet 40 may also be equipped with an adhesive layer (not shown), and adjacent unit sheets 10 may be interconnected by this adhesive layer. More specifically, each of the relay sheets 40 (first relay sheet 40a and second relay sheet 40b) comprises, for example, a plurality of stretchable relay wirings 43, such as a plurality of first stretchable relay wirings 43a and a plurality of second stretchable relay wirings 43b. Each of the multiple stretchable relay wirings 43 (first stretchable relay wiring 43a and second stretchable relay wiring 43b) is formed directly on the lower surface (lower surface in Figure 7) of the stretchable relay substrate 41, for example. Each of the multiple first stretchable relay cables 43a connects the first stretchable cable 20a of one unit sheet 10 to the first stretchable cable 20a of another unit sheet 10. Similarly, each of the multiple second stretchable relay cables 43b connects the second stretchable cable 20b of one unit sheet 10 to the second stretchable cable 20b of another unit sheet 10. Each of the multiple first stretchable relay cables 43a extends in the X direction. Furthermore, the multiple first stretchable relay cables 43a are arranged side-by-side in the Y direction. Similarly, each of the multiple second stretchable relay cables 43b extends in the X direction. Furthermore, the multiple second stretchable relay cables 43b are arranged side-by-side in the Y direction. The wiring width of each of the expandable relay wirings 43 (first expandable relay wiring 43a and second expandable relay wiring 43b) is, for example, substantially constant regardless of their position in the extending direction, and is set to be substantially the same as the wiring width of the expandable wiring 20. However, as shown in Modification Example 1 below, the wiring width of the expandable relay wiring 43 may be greater than the wiring width of the expandable wiring 20. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional view of the second relay sheet 40b and its surrounding structure (a cross-section along the CC line shown in Figure 1) is the same as the cross-sectional view of the first relay sheet 40a and its surrounding structure (Figure 7), and therefore is omitted from the illustration.

[0029] Furthermore, the relay sheets 40 (first relay sheet 40a and second relay sheet 40b) further include, for example, a stretchable relay cover 46 positioned on the lower side (lower side in Figure 7) of the stretchable relay base material 41. The stretchable relay cover 46 of the first relay sheet 40a is positioned, for example, between the stretchable cover 50 of the first unit sheet 10a and the stretchable cover 50 of the second unit sheet 10b. Similarly, the stretchable relay cover 46 of the second relay sheet 40b is positioned to straddle, for example, the stretchable cover 50 of the second unit sheet 10b and the stretchable cover 50 of the third unit sheet 10c. The expandable relay cover 46 has an opening 48 (see Figures 5(a) to 7), through which the expandable relay wiring 43 and the corresponding expandable wiring 20 are interconnected. More specifically, the opening 48 includes, for example, a pair of left and right first openings 48a and a pair of left and right second openings 48b. Of the pair of left and right first openings 48a, the right first opening 48a, for example in a plan view, encompasses a portion of the right end of the first stretchable relay wiring 43a and a portion of the corresponding first stretchable wiring 20a. The left first opening 48a, for example in a plan view, encompasses a portion of the left end of the first stretchable relay wiring 43a and a portion of the corresponding first stretchable wiring 20a. Of the pair of left and right second openings 48b, the right second opening 48b, for example in a plan view, encompasses a portion of the right end of the second stretchable relay wiring 43b and a portion of the corresponding second stretchable wiring 20b. Similarly, the left second opening 48b, for example in a plan view, encompasses a portion of the left end of the second stretchable relay wiring 43b and a portion of the corresponding second stretchable wiring 20b. The left and right pair of first openings 48a and the left and right pair of second openings 48b are set to be the same shape and dimensions as each other. The left and right pair of first openings 48a and the left and right pair of second openings 48b are each formed to be elongated in the Y direction.

[0030] In the first relay sheet 40a, one end of each first stretchable relay cable 43a is electrically and mechanically connected to the first connection terminal portion 25a of the corresponding first stretchable cable 20a via the first opening 48a on the right side. The other end of each first stretchable relay cable 43a is electrically and mechanically connected to the second connection terminal portion 25b of the corresponding first stretchable cable 20a via the first opening 48a on the left side. More specifically, the first relay sheet 40a has the same number of first stretchable relay wirings 43a as the number of first connection terminals 25a and second connection terminals 25b of the first stretchable wiring 20a, and the corresponding first connection terminals 25a and second connection terminals 25b are interconnected by one of the first stretchable relay wirings 43a. Similarly, in the first relay sheet 40a, one end of each second stretchable relay cable 43b is electrically and mechanically connected to the first connection terminal portion 25a of the corresponding second stretchable relay cable 20b via the second opening 48b on the right side. The other end of each second stretchable relay cable 43b is electrically and mechanically connected to the second connection terminal portion 25b of the corresponding second stretchable relay cable 20b via the second opening 48b on the left side. More specifically, the first relay sheet 40a has the same number of second stretchable relay wirings 43b as the number of first connection terminals 25a and second connection terminals 25b of the second stretchable wiring 20b, and the corresponding first connection terminals 25a and second connection terminals 25b are interconnected by one of the second stretchable relay wirings 43b. In this way, in the first relay sheet 40a, each of the expandable relay wiring 43 is electrically and mechanically connected to each first connection terminal portion 25a of the first unit sheet 10a and each second connection terminal portion 25b of the second unit sheet 10b.

[0031] In the second relay sheet 40b, one end of each first stretchable relay cable 43a is electrically and mechanically connected to the third connection terminal portion 25c of the corresponding first stretchable relay cable 20a via the first opening 48a on the right side. The other end of each first stretchable relay cable 43a is electrically and mechanically connected to the fourth connection terminal portion 25d of the corresponding first stretchable relay cable 20a via the first opening 48a on the left side. More specifically, the second relay sheet 40b has the same number of first stretchable relay cables 43a as the number of third connection terminals 25c and fourth connection terminals 25d of the first stretchable relay cable 20a, and the corresponding third connection terminals 25c and fourth connection terminals 25d are interconnected by one of the first stretchable relay cables 43a. Similarly, in the second relay sheet 40b, one end of each second stretchable relay cable 43b is electrically and mechanically connected to the third connection terminal portion 25c of the corresponding second stretchable relay cable 20b via the second opening 48b on the right side. The other end of each second stretchable relay cable 43b is electrically and mechanically connected to the fourth connection terminal portion 25d of the corresponding second stretchable relay cable 20b via the second opening 48b on the left side. More specifically, the second relay sheet 40b has the same number of terminals as the third connection terminals 25c and fourth connection terminals 25d of the second stretchable wiring 20b. 2 Extendable relay wiring 43 b The third connection terminal section 25c and the fourth connection terminal section 25d, which correspond to each other, are interconnected by a second expandable relay wiring 43b. In this way, in the second relay sheet 40b, each of the expandable relay wiring 43 is electrically and mechanically connected to each third connection terminal portion 25c of the second unit sheet 10b and to each fourth connection terminal portion 25d of the third unit sheet 10c.

[0032] Here, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, a notched portion 32 is formed at the lower left end of each electrode 30, and the lower left edge of the electrode 30 has a shape that slopes upward from right to left, for example. Also, in the unit sheet 10, the left end of each expandable wiring 20 that is not terminated at an electrode 30 slopes upward from right to left, for example, along the lower left edge of a nearby electrode 30. The distance between the left ends of adjacent expandable wirings 20 gradually increases from right to left. With this configuration, sufficient distance can be secured between the stretchable relay wirings 43 at the left edge of the unit sheet 10. As a result, when aligning the relay sheet 40 with the corresponding unit sheet 10 and electrically connecting the stretchable relay wirings 43 and the stretchable wirings 20, even if the stretchable relay wirings 43 and the corresponding unit sheet 10 are slightly misaligned relative to each other in the Y direction (the wiring width direction of the stretchable relay wirings 43), it becomes easier to properly align and connect the stretchable relay wirings 43 with the corresponding stretchable wirings 20.

[0033] Each of the stretchable relay substrate 41 and the stretchable relay cover 46 is composed of a thermoplastic resin, similar to, for example, the stretchable substrate 11 and the stretchable cover 50. Furthermore, the materials constituting the stretchable relay substrate 41 and the stretchable relay cover 46 are not particularly limited, but for example, they are elastomer materials similar to those of the stretchable substrate 11 and the stretchable cover 50. However, each of the stretchable relay base material 41 and the stretchable relay cover 46 only needs to be made of a material that has at least insulating and stretchable properties, and may be made of a different material from the stretchable base material 11 and the stretchable cover 50. The thickness of the stretchable relay substrate 41 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ensuring sufficient stretchability of the electrode sheet 100, it is preferably 100 μm or less, and more preferably 25 μm or less. The thickness of the stretchable relay cover 46 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ensuring sufficient stretchability of the electrode sheet 100, it is preferably 100 μm or less, and more preferably 25 μm or less.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each of the electrodes 30, the stretchable wiring 20, and the stretchable relay wiring 43 is a coating film composed of, for example, a conductive filler and a binder containing a thermoplastic resin. Therefore, when manufacturing the electrode sheet 100, the stretchable wiring 20 and the stretchable relay wiring 43 can be heated and pressurized, thereby fusing the stretchable relay wiring 43 with the corresponding connection terminal portion 25 through the opening 48. In other words, the stretchable wiring 20 and the stretchable relay wiring 43 can be electrically and mechanically connected to each other with a simpler structure without the need for conductive adhesives, anisotropic conductive films (ACF), or anisotropic conductive pastes (ACP), thereby improving the manufacturability of the electrode sheet 100. Furthermore, since the stretchable wiring 20 and the stretchable relay wiring 43 are fused to each other, the state in which the relay sheet 40 and the corresponding unit sheet 10 are interconnected can be maintained in good condition. Furthermore, since each of the electrodes 30, the stretchable wiring 20, and the stretchable relay wiring 43 contains a binder containing a thermoplastic resin, they can follow the expansion and contraction of the stretchable substrate 11 well. The conductive filler is composed of, for example, silver, gold, platinum, carbon, copper, aluminum, cobalt, or nickel, or alloys thereof. Examples of thermoplastic resins include thermoplastic elastomer materials such as urethane resin, acrylic resin, and silicone rubber. Furthermore, it is desirable to select a thermoplastic resin with a low Young's modulus such that the elastic moduli of the electrodes 30, the stretchable wiring 20, and the stretchable relay wiring 43 in the coated state are equal to or smaller than the elastic modulus of the stretchable substrate 11. The elastomer material may be used alone, or a mixture of multiple elastomer materials may be used. Furthermore, the method for forming each of the electrodes 30, the stretchable wiring 20, and the stretchable relay wiring 43 is not particularly limited, but can be formed by, for example, a printing method. The printing method is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, a screen printing method, an inkjet printing method, a gravure printing method, or an offset printing method.

[0035] The thickness of the electrode 30 and the stretchable wiring 20 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 μm or more, and more preferably about 20 μm. Similarly, the thickness of the stretchable relay wiring 43 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 μm or more, and more preferably about 20 μm.

[0036] Furthermore, each of the unit sheets 10 has an adhesive layer 61 for attaching the electrode sheet 100 to an object to be attached (for example, a sheet 400 described later). However, each of the unit sheets 10 may have an adhesive layer (not shown) instead of the adhesive layer 61. Furthermore, each of the unit sheets 10 includes a first release film 71 and a second release film 76. The first release film 71 is laminated on the upper side of the adhesive layer 61 so as to be easily peeled off from the adhesive layer 61. Similarly, the second release film 76 is laminated on the lower side of the stretchable substrate 11 so as to be easily peeled off from the stretchable substrate 11.

[0037] The adhesive layer 61 is formed, for example, by coating it with an adhesive material. More specifically, the adhesive layer 61 is a single film formed by, for example, applying an adhesive material to the upper surface of the first release film 71 to a desired thickness and then curing it by a heat treatment. Therefore, compared to cases where the adhesive layer 61 includes a core material such as nonwoven fabric or paper, the adhesive layer 61 can follow the stretching of the stretchable substrate 11 more effectively. Furthermore, when manufacturing the electrode sheet 100, before it is laminated onto the stretchable cover 50, the adhesive layer 61 also has a release film (not shown) on the side opposite to the first release film 71. By peeling this release film from the adhesive layer 61, the adhesive layer 61 can be attached to the stretchable cover 50. The adhesive material is not particularly limited, but for example, acrylic resins can be used.

[0038] When using the electrode sheet 100, for example, first, the first release film 71 is peeled off from the adhesive layer 61, exposing the adhesive layer 61. Then, the electrode sheet 100 is inserted via the adhesive layer 61. Installation It can be attached to the object. Next, the second release film 76 is peeled off from the stretchable substrate 11, so that the stretchable substrate 11 is exposed on the upper side of the electrode sheet 100. In this way, by attaching the electrode sheet 100 to the object to be attached before peeling off the second release film 76, it is possible to attach the electrode sheet 100 to the intended area while suppressing wrinkles of the electrode sheet 100.

[0039] The materials of the first release film 71 and the second release film 76 are not particularly limited, but may include PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or paper. The first release film 71 and the second release film 76 may be made of the same material or of different materials.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, in this embodiment, the unit sheet 10 has a plurality of through holes 16 located at positions corresponding to each electrode 30. In this embodiment, each through-hole 16 is positioned to correspond to one electrode 30. Each of the through-holes 16 is formed to penetrate, for example, the first release film 71, the adhesive layer 61, and the stretchable cover 50 in the thickness direction of each layer. As a result, in each electrode 30, the portion corresponding to the through-hole 16 is exposed on the upper surface side of the electrode sheet 100. When manufacturing the electrode sheet 100, the characteristics of the electrode 30 and the corresponding stretchable wiring 20 can be electrically inspected by bringing an inspection probe (not shown) into contact with the electrode 30 through the through hole 16.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, an external connection terminal portion 80 is provided at the right end of the first unit sheet 10a. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the external connection terminal portion 80 is interposed, for example, between the stretchable cover 50 and the stretchable base material 11. The external connection terminal section 80 has, for example, the same number of external connection terminals 83 as the number of electrodes 30 on the electrode sheet 100, and one external connection terminal 83 is connected to each electrode 30. Each electrode 30 is electrically connected to the electrode selection unit and the biological information acquisition unit via the corresponding external connection terminal 83. More specifically, the electrode sheet 100 includes, for example, an external connection terminal portion 80, which is connected to the first stretchable wiring 20a and a second external connection terminal portion 80b, which is connected to the second stretchable wiring 20b. The external connection terminal section 80 (first external connection terminal section 80a and second external connection terminal section 80b) includes, for example, a non-stretchable base material 81 and a lead-out wiring 82 formed on the non-stretchable base material 81 and connected to the stretchable wiring 20. As shown in Figure 4, the first external connection terminal 80a has, for example, the same number of lead wires 82 as the number of first stretchable wirings 20a in the electrode sheet 100, and one lead wire 82 is mechanically and electrically connected to one first stretchable wiring 20a. Similarly, the second external connection terminal 80b has, for example, the same number of lead wires 82 as the number of second stretchable wirings 20b in the electrode sheet 100, and one lead wire 82 is mechanically and electrically connected to one second stretchable wiring 20b. Each of the lead-out wirings 82 is formed, for example, on the lower surface of the non-stretchable base material 81. Each of the lead-out wirings 82 extends, for example, in the X direction. In this embodiment, for example, the external connection terminal 83 is formed by a portion of the lead-out wiring 82. More specifically, the left end of the lead-out wiring 82 is connected to the right end of the corresponding expandable wiring 20, and the right end of the lead-out wiring 82 constitutes an external connection terminal 83. Each of the external connection terminals 83 is individually connected to, for example, one of the multiple switches 96a of the switching unit 96, which will be described later.

[0042] The non-stretchable base material 81 can be made of, for example, a resin film. The resin material constituting this resin film is not particularly limited, but examples include polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, or polyester. The thickness of the non-stretchable substrate 81 is preferably 100 μm or less, and more preferably 50 μm or less. The lead wire 82 is a coating film composed of a conductive filler and a binder containing a thermoplastic resin, similar to the stretchable wire 20. This allows the lead wire 82 and the corresponding stretchable wire 20 to be fused together by heating and pressurizing each of them when manufacturing the electrode sheet 100. The thickness of the lead-out wiring 82 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 μm or more, and more preferably about 20 μm.

[0043] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, an external connection terminal portion 80 is provided at the end of a unit sheet 10 located at one end in the direction in which the unit sheets 10 are arranged, on the side opposite to the other unit sheets 10. The external connection terminal portion 80 has a non-stretchable base material 81 and a lead wire 82 formed on the non-stretchable base material 81 and connected to the stretchable wiring 20, and an external connection terminal 83 is formed by a part of the lead wire 82.

[0044] In this embodiment, the biological information acquisition system 200 (electrode sheet 100, electrode selection unit, and biological information acquisition unit) is used, as an example, to acquire the electrocardiogram waveform of a living organism 300. Acquisition of electrocardiogram waveforms using the biometric information acquisition system 200 is performed, for example, with the subject lying on an object to which multiple electrode sheets 100 are attached (for example, a sheet 400 as shown in Figure 12). Therefore, at each electrode 30, a capacitor 370 is formed by the corresponding electrode 30, the subject's clothing or sheet 400 (insulator 350), and the subject's (biological body 300) skin 360. In this embodiment, as described above, the stretchable base material 11 and the stretchable cover 50 are made of insulating material, so these layers also become insulators 350 together with the clothing or sheet 400. Hereinafter, multiple electrode sheets 100 attached to a single mounting object may be collectively referred to as an electrode sheet unit 150. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, for example, the sheet 400 to which the electrode sheet unit 150 is attached is laid on the bed 450. In Figure 11, the side of the sheet 400 that comes into contact with the subject's skin is shown. In Figures 11, 14(a), 14(b), and 14(c), multiple electrodes 30 from the various components of the electrode sheet unit 150 are selectively shown with solid lines. In the electrode sheet unit 150, the multiple electrodes 30 provided on each electrode sheet 100 are arranged in an array. More specifically, in the electrode sheet unit 150, the electrode sheets 100 are arranged in the Y direction such that the multiple electrodes 30 are arranged in a square grid in a plan view. In the electrode sheet unit 150, the multiple electrodes 30 are spaced apart from each other at equal intervals in the X direction, and also spaced apart from each other at equal intervals in the Y direction. The electrode sheet unit 150, for example, in a plan view, has a configuration area for the arrangement of multiple electrodes 30 in the electrode sheet unit 150. 503 (Double chain shown in Figures 11 and 13(a) to 13(c)) LineThe device is configured such that at least the entire torso 320 of the living organism 300 fits inside the indicated area. In Figures 13(a) to 13(c), an example is shown in which the torso 320, legs 330, and arms 340 are mainly arranged within the electrode placement area 503. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the electrode sheet unit 150 may be configured so that the entire living organism 300, including the head 310, fits within the placement area 503. In the example shown in Figure 11, ten electrode sheets 100 are arranged in a row in the Y direction. In the electrode sheet unit 150, the electrodes 30 are arranged in, for example, 20 rows in the Y direction, with 15 electrodes 30 arranged in a row in the X direction in each row. Therefore, the electrode sheet unit 150 has 300 electrodes 30 arranged in 20 rows and 15 columns. In the arrangement region 503 of the multiple electrodes 30, the living organism 300 is lying down in a posture in which, for example, the head 310 of the living organism 300 is positioned on one side in the Y direction (upper side in Figure 11), and the legs 330 of the living organism 300 are positioned on the other side in the Y direction (lower side in Figure 11). In this invention, the number of electrode sheets 100 in the electrode sheet unit 150 and their arrangement are not limited to this example, and can be appropriately set according to the application of the biological information acquisition system 200, the outer diameter of the object to be attached, etc. Since the electrode sheet unit 150 is composed of multiple electrode sheets 100, for example, even if some electrodes 30 or elastic wiring 20 lose their function due to breakage or other reasons during long-term use of the electrode sheet unit 150, it is sufficient to replace the electrode sheet 100 containing the affected electrode 30 or elastic wiring 20 with a new, separate electrode sheet 100. In other words, the electrode sheet unit 150 can be easily repaired.

[0045] In this embodiment, the electrode selection unit selects, for example, three electrodes 30 suitable for acquiring electrocardiogram waveforms using the three-lead method shown in Figure 10, and the biological information acquisition unit acquires electrocardiogram waveforms as biological information using the three-lead method. When acquiring an electrocardiogram using the three-lead method, the monitor leads typically include lead II, MCL1, MCL5, and NASA lead. In this embodiment, lead II is used as an example. Furthermore, in the following, in the upper body of the living organism 300 shown in Figure 10, the right side will be considered the left half of the body, and the left side the right half of the body, using the imaginary line 501 as a reference. Also, in the upper body of the living organism 300 shown in Figure 10, the upper part will be considered the upper part of the upper body, and the lower part the lower part of the upper body, using the imaginary line 502 as a reference. As an example, the electrode selection unit selects the electrode 30 with the maximum capacitance from among the electrodes 30 located in the lower part of the upper body (or the part below the lower part of the upper body) and corresponding to the left half of the living body 300 as the positive electrode 36. Similarly, as an example, the electrode selection unit selects the electrode 30 with the maximum capacitance from among the electrodes 30 located in the upper part of the upper body and corresponding to the right half of the living body 300 as the negative electrode 37. The electrode selection unit selects the electrode 30 with the maximum capacitance from among the electrodes 30 located in the upper part of the upper body and corresponding to the left half of the living body as the ground electrode 38. The biological information acquisition unit then performs a lead equivalent to lead II using these three electrodes 30 (positive electrode 36, negative electrode 37, and ground electrode 38) and acquires the electrocardiogram waveform. In this context, "the position corresponding to the living organism 300" refers to, for example, the position that corresponds to (overlaps with) the living organism 300 in a planar view (when viewed perpendicular to the surface of the electrode sheet 100). Furthermore, in the present invention, the positions of the three electrodes 30 selected by the electrode selection unit are not limited to this example and can be changed and set as appropriate. Furthermore, in the present invention, the type of monitor lead used when acquiring electrocardiogram patterns using the biological information acquisition system 200 is not limited to lead II. More specifically, as described above, in this embodiment, multiple electrodes 30 are individually positioned at locations corresponding to each part of the biological tissue 300. Therefore, by appropriately changing the three electrodes 30 selected, guidance equivalent to MCL1 guidance, MCL5 guidance, and NASA guidance can be performed.

[0046] As described above, since the electrode sheet 100 is flexible, each of the electrodes 30 on the electrode sheet 100 that are positioned in a location corresponding to the living body 300 can be positioned to conform to the irregularities of the body surface of the living body 300. Therefore, it is expected that each of the three electrodes 30 selected by the electrode selection unit will be well positioned along the contours of the biological tissue 300, and that the capacitance of each of the three electrodes 30 and the capacitor 370 formed by the insulator 350 and the biological tissue 300 will be equal to each other. Thus, a more accurate electrocardiogram waveform can be obtained.

[0047] Figures 15(a) and 15(b) are electrocardiograms acquired using the three-lead method (lead II) with the biological information acquisition system 200 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figures 15(a) and 15(b), the P wave, R wave, Q wave, S wave, and T wave, which are characteristic waveforms of an electrocardiogram, can be observed.

[0048] Here, the electrode selection unit detects, for example, a change in capacitance as an electrical parameter. Based on the detected change in capacitance, the electrode selection unit determines the posture of the living organism 300 and selects the electrode 30 to be used for acquiring biological information based on the posture determination result. As a result, even if the relative position of each part of the body 300 changes due to a change in the posture of the body 300 while the electrode sheet 100 is positioned along the body 300, the electrode 30 to be used for acquiring biological information can be appropriately selected. Therefore, biological information can be acquired efficiently and more accurately regardless of the posture of the body 300. In this embodiment, based on the posture determination result, three electrodes 30 suitable for acquiring an electrocardiogram using the three-lead method can be appropriately selected.

[0049] More specifically, as shown in Figure 9, the biological information acquisition system 200 includes, for example, a capacitance detection circuit 94 that detects data necessary for calculating the capacitance accumulated in each electrode 30, and an electrocardiogram waveform detection circuit 95 that detects data necessary for acquiring the electrocardiogram waveform. Furthermore, the biological information acquisition system 200 includes a switching unit 96 connected to the external connection terminal portion 80 of the electrode sheet 100, and a control unit 91 that controls the operation of the switching unit 96. In this embodiment, as an example, the control unit 91, the capacitance detection circuit 94, and the switching unit 96 jointly function as an electrode selection unit. Similarly, as an example, the control unit 91 and the electrocardiogram waveform detection circuit 95 jointly function as a biological information acquisition unit. The data detected by the capacitance detection circuit 94 and the data detected by the electrocardiogram waveform detection circuit 95 are input to the control unit 91, for example. The control unit 91 calculates the capacitance of each electrode 30 based on the data detected by the capacitance detection circuit 94. The control unit 91 also generates electrocardiogram waveform data based on the data detected by the electrocardiogram waveform detection circuit 95. The control unit 91 is configured to include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a control program (program), a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes control operations according to this control program, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that functions as a work area for the CPU. For the control unit 91, for example, a terminal such as a tablet PC in which the control unit and a display unit (not shown) are integrated can be used. The control unit 91 controls the operation of the switching unit 96 to connect each electrode 30 individually to the capacitance detection circuit 94, and to connect three electrodes 30 suitable for acquiring electrocardiogram waveforms to the electrocardiogram waveform detection circuit 95. In other words, the control unit 91 controls the operation of the switching unit 96 to switch between a mode for measuring capacitance and a mode for acquiring electrocardiogram waveforms.

[0050] As shown in Figure 9, the switching unit 96 includes, for example, a number of switches 96a corresponding to the number of electrodes 30 provided on the electrode sheet 100. In this embodiment, as an example, the switching unit 96 includes four switches 96a (hereinafter referred to as the first switch, second switch, third switch, and fourth switch) for each electrode 30. Note that the first to fourth switches are not shown in Figure 9. The control unit 91 switches between a state in which the corresponding electrode 30 and the capacitance detection circuit 94 are interconnected (on) and a state in which the connection is interrupted (off) by, for example, turning on or off the first switch among the four switches 96a. Furthermore, the control unit 91 switches between a state in which the corresponding electrode 30 and the electrocardiogram waveform detection circuit 95 are interconnected (on) and a state in which the connection is disconnected (off) by individually turning on / off the remaining three switches 96a (second switch, third switch, and fourth switch). More specifically, the control unit 91 selects the corresponding electrode 30 as the positive electrode 36 by turning on the second switch, selects the corresponding electrode 30 as the negative electrode 37 by turning on the third switch, and selects the corresponding electrode 30 as the ground electrode 38 by turning on the fourth switch. Each of the electrodes 30 is connected to each switch 96a via a corresponding stretchable wire 20 and an external connection terminal 83.

[0051] The control unit 91 (electrode selection unit) connects each electrode 30 to the capacitance detection circuit 94 one by one in sequence by controlling the operation of the switching unit 96. The capacitance detection circuit 94 applies a constant current to each electrode 30 for a certain period of time and detects the change in voltage value for each electrode 30. The control unit 91 then calculates the capacitance accumulated in the electrode 30 based on the detected change in voltage value. In this embodiment, the control unit 91 individually calculates the capacitance data for all electrodes 30 provided in the electrode sheet unit 150. The control unit 91 integrates the calculated capacitance data for each electrode 30 and generates image data (see Figures 19(a) to 19(c) in Examples 1 to 3 described later) that displays the capacitance distribution in the electrode 30 arrangement area 503 in grayscale. The control unit 91 may, for example, display the generated image data on a display unit (not shown). Here, in the electrode placement region 503, the closer an electrode 30 is to the living organism 300, the larger the capacitance calculated for that electrode 30 due to the influence of the dielectric constant of the living organism 300. As a result, image data like those shown in Figures 19(a) to 19(c) is generated depending on the posture of the living organism 300. More specifically, in the generated image data, areas closer to the living organism 300 become brighter (whiter), while areas further away from the living organism 300 become darker (blacker). Therefore, the posture of the living organism 300 can be measured as a silhouette in the image data showing the capacitance distribution.

[0052] In this embodiment, the electrode selection unit determines the posture of the living organism 300 from the generated image data, for example, by a determination operation performed by artificial intelligence. More specifically, artificial intelligence is, for example, a neural network. The artificial intelligence uses a trained model that has learned the features of the image of the subject to be examined (in this embodiment, image data showing the capacitance distribution described above) to determine the posture of the living organism 300 from the generated image data. In this embodiment, for example, the artificial intelligence determines (classifies) the posture of the living organism 300 as one of the following: left-facing lateral decubitus position (see Figure 13(a)), supine position (see Figure 13(b)), or right-facing lateral decubitus position (see Figure 13(c)). The control unit 91 then selects three electrodes 30 suitable for acquiring electrocardiogram shapes in the determined posture. In this embodiment, the control unit 91 has artificial intelligence.

[0053] Thus, in this embodiment, the electrode selection unit selects the electrode 30 to be used for acquiring biological information through a determination operation by artificial intelligence. This makes it easier to select an electrode 30 suitable for acquiring the desired biological information, thereby enabling more efficient acquisition of biological information.

[0054] Furthermore, as described above, the electrode sheet 100 includes a stretchable base material 11 which is a thin film sheet material that can expand and contract in at least one direction in the in-plane direction, and each of the electrodes 30, stretchable wiring 20, and stretchable relay wiring 43 can follow the expansion and contraction of the stretchable base material 11 well. In other words, the electrode sheet 100 can expand and contract and bend to follow the irregularities of the body surface of the living organism 300. This allows each electrode 30 to make good contact with the corresponding part of the living body 300, enabling more accurate measurement of the capacitance of each electrode 30. Consequently, the posture of the living body 300 can be determined more clearly.

[0055] In this embodiment, the sheet 400 to which the electrode sheet unit 150 is attached, as described above, is laid on the bed 450. Furthermore, according to the biological information acquisition system 200 of this embodiment, there is no need to fix the electrode sheet 100 to the living body 300. Moreover, even if the posture of the living body 300 changes, the electrode 30 used for acquiring the electrocardiogram waveform can be appropriately selected. Therefore, when acquiring the electrocardiogram waveform, the subject (living body 300) does not need to lie in the same position for a long period of time, thus suppressing pressure ulcers (bedsores). In other words, it is possible to realize an electrode sheet 100 and, consequently, a biological information acquisition system 200 that is less invasive and more comfortable to use. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the electrode sheet 100 is flexible, it can sufficiently maintain the flexibility of the bedding (sheet 400 or bed 450) to which the electrode sheet 100 is attached. Therefore, when the living body 300 lies down on the bedding, the body pressure of the living body 300 is applied appropriately to the electrode sheet 100, so that the electrode sheet 100 can be positioned to better conform to the unevenness of the living body 300's surface. Furthermore, even when a subject is covered by a blanket and their posture cannot be visually observed, the biometric information acquisition system 200 can still determine the subject's posture. Therefore, for example, in the field of elderly care, the biometric information acquisition system 200 can detect how long a person requiring care remains in the same posture, allowing for objective assessments such as whether there is a risk of pressure ulcers (bedsores).

[0056] As shown in Figure 12, the electrode sheet unit 150 is attached to the sheet 400, for example, via an adhesive layer 61 to the side opposite to the side that comes into contact with the subject's skin (the back side). Therefore, each electrode sheet 100 is positioned with the side on which the adhesive layer 61 is formed (one side 100a) facing upwards and the opposite side (the other side 100b) facing downwards. Installation It is affixed to the object. This prevents direct contact between the subject and the electrode sheet unit 150 on the sheet 400, thus maintaining the electrode sheet unit 150 in a good state of being attached to the sheet 400. However, in the sheet 400, the surface to which the electrode sheet unit 150 is attached may be the surface of the sheet 400.

[0057] For Sheet 400, a typical sheet made from materials such as cotton, linen, polyester, silk, and wool is used. The typical elastic modulus (Young's modulus) of these materials is between 2 GPa and 20 GPa, meaning they are highly flexible but have low elasticity. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the elastic modulus (Young's modulus) of the electrode sheet 100 is set to, for example, at least 500 MPa or less, preferably 50 MPa or less, and more preferably 30 MPa or less. In other words, in this embodiment, the elastic modulus (Young's modulus) of the electrode sheet 100 is set lower than the elastic modulus of the object to which it is attached (sheet 400). This prevents the electrode sheet 100 from excessively stretching in response to the stretching of the object to which it is attached. As a result, an increase in the resistance value of the stretchable wiring 20 and breakage are suppressed, and high durability of the electrode sheet 100 can be achieved.

[0058] The following describes an example of the operation of the biological information acquisition system 200 using Figures 13(a) to 14(c). In the following description, the biological information acquisition system 200 will be used for acquiring electrocardiogram data as an example. Also, Figures 14(a) to 14(c) will be used for an example of the operation of the biological information acquisition system 200. c In the diagram, the three electrodes 30 selected by the electrode selection unit are each indicated by upward-sloping hatching.

[0059] First, with the subject lying on the sheet 400 to which the electrode sheet unit 150 is attached, the electrode selection unit (control unit 91) controls the operation of the switching unit 96. More specifically, the electrode selection unit (control unit 91) controls the operation of the switching unit 96 to connect each electrode 30 to its corresponding switch 96a one by one in sequence, and measures the capacitance of each individually. Once the measurement of the capacitance of all electrodes 30 in the electrode sheet unit 150 is complete, the control unit 91 integrates the capacitance data for all electrodes 30 and generates image data that displays the capacitance distribution in the electrode 30 arrangement area 503 in grayscale. The electrode selection unit then determines, for example, through a judgment operation by artificial intelligence, the posture of the living organism 300, i.e., the posture of the subject, from the generated image data as one of the following: left-facing lateral decubitus position (see Figure 13(a)), supine position (see Figure 13(b)), or right-facing lateral decubitus position (see Figure 13(c)). Next, the electrode selection unit, through the operation control of the switching unit 96, selects three electrodes 30 suitable for acquiring the electrocardiogram shape in the determined posture. At this time, as described above, the electrode selection unit selects, as an example, the electrode 30 with the maximum capacitance among the electrodes 30 located in the lower part of the upper body (or the part below the lower part of the upper body) and corresponding to the left half of the body of the living organism 300 as the positive electrode 36, the electrode 30 with the maximum capacitance among the electrodes 30 located in the upper part of the upper body and corresponding to the right half of the body of the living organism 300 as the negative electrode 37, and the electrode 30 with the maximum capacitance among the electrodes 30 located in the upper part of the upper body and corresponding to the left half of the body as the ground electrode 38. More specifically, if the subject's posture is determined to be a left-facing lateral decubitus position, the electrode selection unit selects, for example, the three electrodes 30 shown in Figure 14(a) as the positive electrode 36, negative electrode 37, and ground electrode 38, respectively. If the subject's posture is determined to be supine, the electrode selection unit selects, for example, the three electrodes 30 shown in Figure 14(b) as the positive electrode 36, negative electrode 37, and ground electrode 38. If the subject's posture is determined to be a right-facing lateral decubitus position, the electrode selection unit selects, for example, the three electrodes 30 shown in Figure 14(c) as the positive electrode 36, negative electrode 37, and ground electrode 38, respectively. The biological information acquisition unit (control unit 91) then uses these three electrodes 30 (positive electrode 36, negative electrode 37, and ground electrode 38) to perform lead II-like guidance and acquire electrical signals. The electrocardiogram waveform detection circuit 95 generates electrocardiogram data (values) based on these electrical signals and inputs them to the control unit 91. The control unit 91 displays the constantly changing electrocardiogram data as an electrocardiogram waveform on the display unit. In this way, an electrocardiogram waveform can be acquired from the living body 300. In this invention, the biological information acquisition system 200 may be configured such that the operation of the control unit 91 is started by an input operation to the terminal's operating unit (not shown), or it may be configured such that the operation of the control unit 91 is started as a trigger when the electrode sheet 100 is placed along the living body 300. Furthermore, in the present invention, the electrode selection unit may select one electrode 30 for each of the three electrodes 30 (positive electrode 36, negative electrode 37, and ground electrode 38), or it may select groups of multiple electrodes 30 that are adjacent to each other. Furthermore, the artificial intelligence may determine the posture of the living organism 300, i.e., the posture of the subject, from the generated image data through a judgment operation. Then, the subject's body joints (for example, the parts shown by the dashed lines 381 to 385 in Figures 13(a) to 13(c)) may be keypointed and characterized from that posture information, and the positive electrode 36, negative electrode 37, and ground electrode 38 may be selected based on that information.

[0060] <Number 1 Modified examples of the embodiment > Next, Figure 16 (a) and Figure 16(b) A modified example of the first embodiment will be explained using Figure 16. (b) In the figure, 16 (a) shows an enlarged view of the part corresponding to section A.

[0061] Figure 16 (a) and Figure 16(b)As shown, the electrode sheet 100 according to this modified example differs from the electrode sheet 100 according to the first embodiment in that the wiring width of the stretchable relay wiring 43 is greater than the wiring width of the stretchable wiring 20, and in other respects, it is configured the same as the electrode sheet 100 according to the first embodiment described above. With this configuration, when aligning the relay sheet 40 with the corresponding unit sheet 10 to electrically connect the expandable relay wiring 43 and the expandable wiring 20, even if the expandable relay wiring 43 and the corresponding unit sheet 10 are slightly misaligned relative to each other in the Y direction (the wiring width direction of the expandable relay wiring 43), the expandable relay wiring 43 can be properly aligned and connected to the expandable wiring 20. However, the expandable relay wiring 43 may be formed to the same width as the portion of the expandable wiring 20 that is connected to the expandable relay wiring 43, or it may be formed to be narrower than that portion.

[0062] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described using Figures 17 and 18. In Figures 17 and 18, the cut end faces of the electrode sheet 100 are shown along the line corresponding to the CC line in Figure 1.

[0063] The electrode sheet 100 according to this embodiment differs from the electrode sheet 100 according to the first embodiment in that it does not have a relay sheet 40, and the stretchable wiring 20 of one unit sheet 10 and the stretchable wiring 20 of another unit sheet 10 are directly connected to each other, but in other respects it is configured the same as the electrode sheet 100 according to the first embodiment described above. Even with this configuration, multiple unit sheets 10 can be well connected to each other to realize a structure in which an integrated electrode sheet 100 is formed.

[0064] More specifically, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, in this embodiment, in the second unit sheet 10b, which is positioned between the first unit sheet 10a and the third unit sheet 10c, the stretchable wiring 20 and a plurality of electrodes 30 are formed on the other surface 11b of the stretchable base material 11. In addition, in the second unit sheet 10b, the stretchable cover 50 is positioned on the other surface 11b side of the stretchable base material 11. That is, in the second unit sheet 10b, the arrangement of the stretchable base material 11, the stretchable wiring 20, the plurality of electrodes 30 and the stretchable cover 50 is inverted vertically compared to the arrangement of these layers in the first unit sheet 10a and the third unit sheet 10c. Furthermore, the second connection terminal portion 25b of the second unit sheet 10b is directly connected (e.g., fused) to the first connection terminal portion 25a of the first unit sheet 10a, and the third connection terminal portion 25c of the second unit sheet 10b is directly connected (e.g., fused) to the fourth connection terminal portion 25d of the third unit sheet 10c. It is desirable that the thicknesses of the stretchable base material 11 and the stretchable cover 50 in the first unit sheet 10a, the second unit sheet 10b, and the third unit sheet 10c are the same, and the stretchable base material 11 and the stretchable cover 50 are each made to have a thickness of 25 μm. In this way, even if the first unit sheet 10a and the third unit sheet 10c and the second unit sheet 10b are arranged in an inverted position, the thickness of the insulating layer interposed between them and the living body 300 can be made the same, so that the accuracy of posture determination of the living body 300 and detection of electrocardiogram signals is not adversely affected.

[0065] Although each embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples of the present invention, and various other configurations can also be adopted.

[0066] For example, although the above description explains an example in which the electrode sheet unit 150 is attached to a sheet 400, the electrode sheet unit 150 may also be attached to, for example, a comforter. By doing so, when acquiring an electrocardiogram waveform, the electrode sheet unit 150 is positioned on the chest side of the living organism 300, closer to the heart, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of the acquired electrocardiogram waveform.

[0067] Furthermore, although the above describes an example in which the biological information acquisition system 200 determines the posture of the living body 300 by detecting changes in capacitance, the biological information acquisition system 200 may also be configured to detect the presence or absence of excretion (urination or defecation) based on changes in capacitance in the lower body of the living body 300 (e.g., a person requiring care). In this case, during monitoring of the living body 300, an electrode 30 positioned corresponding to the lower body of the living body 300 is selected and its capacitance is measured.

[0068] Furthermore, while the above describes an example in which the artificial intelligence determines (classifies) the posture of the living organism 300 as either a left-facing lateral recumbent position, a supine position, or a right-facing lateral recumbent position, the types of postures that the artificial intelligence determines (classifies) in the present invention are not limited to this example, and the artificial intelligence may be configured to determine (classify) the posture of the living organism 300 in more detail.

[0069] Furthermore, although the above describes an example in which the biological information acquisition system 200 is used to acquire electrocardiogram patterns, the present invention is not limited to this example. More specifically, for example, the biological information acquisition system 200 may be used to simultaneously measure the respiration and pulse of the biological organism 300 along with the acquisition of the electrocardiogram shape, or it may be used to measure only the respiration and pulse of the biological organism 300.

[0070] Furthermore, although the above describes an example in which the electrode sheet 100 (electrode sheet unit 150) is attached to bedding, the electrode sheet 100 may also be attached to, for example, the seat (backrest) of a car. In this case, the biometric information acquisition system 200 can determine the driver's posture (whether they are in a proper seated position) and monitor biometric information such as the driver's heart rate and respiration. In this case, for example, the acquired biometric information can be used to determine if the driver is drowsy driving.

[0071] This embodiment encompasses the following technical concepts. (1) A flexible electrode sheet having multiple electrodes arranged in an array, With the electrode sheet positioned along the body so that the plurality of electrodes do not come into contact with the body, an electrode selection unit acquires electrical parameters from the plurality of electrodes and selects an electrode to be used for acquiring biological information based on the acquired electrical parameters. With the electrode sheet positioned along the living body such that the plurality of electrodes are not in contact with the living body, a biological information acquisition unit acquires the biological information from the electrodes selected by the electrode selection unit, A biometric information acquisition system equipped with the following features. (2) The bio-information acquisition system according to (1), wherein the electrode selection unit selects the electrode to be used for acquiring the bio-information by a determination operation performed by artificial intelligence. (3) The biological information acquisition system according to (1) or (2), wherein the electrode selection unit detects a change in capacitance as an electrical parameter, determines the posture of the living organism based on the detected change, and selects the electrode to be used for acquiring the biological information based on the posture determination result. (4) The electrode selection unit selects three electrodes suitable for acquiring an electrocardiogram pattern using the three-lead method. The biological information acquisition unit acquires an electrocardiogram waveform using the three-lead method as the biological information, according to any one of the biological information acquisition systems described in (1) to (3). (5) The electrode sheet comprises a plurality of unit sheets that are connected to each other, Each of the unit sheets comprises a stretchable substrate, a plurality of stretchable wirings formed on the stretchable substrate and extending in parallel to one another, and a plurality of electrodes formed at one end of two or more of the plurality of stretchable wirings. The plurality of unit sheets are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes, A biological information acquisition system according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein each of the stretchable wirings of one unit sheet that is not terminated by an electrode is individually connected to the stretchable wirings of another unit sheet adjacent to the unit sheet. (6) The plurality of unit sheets are interconnected via relay sheets, Each of the aforementioned relay sheets comprises a stretchable relay substrate and a plurality of stretchable relay wirings formed on the stretchable relay substrate and extending in parallel to one another. The bio-information acquisition system according to (5), wherein the stretchable wiring of one unit sheet and the stretchable wiring of the other unit sheet are interconnected via the stretchable relay wiring. (7) Equipped with multiple interconnected unit sheets, Each of the aforementioned unit sheets comprises a stretchable substrate, a plurality of stretchable wirings formed on the stretchable substrate and extending in parallel to one another, and a plurality of electrodes formed at one end of two or more of the stretchable wirings. The plurality of unit sheets are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes, Each of the stretchable wirings of one unit sheet that is not terminated by an electrode is an electrode sheet that is individually connected to the stretchable wirings of other unit sheets adjacent to that unit sheet. (8) The stretchable cover that covers the plurality of stretchable wiring is placed on top of the stretchable base material, The electrode sheet as described in (7), wherein in the plurality of expandable wirings, the end on the adjacent unit sheet side is a connection terminal portion exposed from the expandable cover. (9) The multiple unit sheets are interconnected via relay sheets, Each of the aforementioned relay sheets comprises a stretchable relay substrate and a plurality of stretchable relay wirings formed on the stretchable relay substrate and extending in parallel to one another. The electrode sheet according to (7) or (8), wherein the stretchable wiring of one unit sheet and the stretchable wiring of the other unit sheet are connected to each other via the stretchable relay wiring. (10) The electrode sheet according to (9) wherein the wiring width of the stretchable relay wiring is greater than the wiring width of the stretchable wiring. (11) An electrode sheet according to any one of items (7) to (10) having an adhesive layer or bonding layer for attaching the electrode sheet to an object to be attached. (12) Of the plurality of unit sheets, the end of the unit sheet located at one end in the direction in which the plurality of unit sheets are arranged is provided with an external connection terminal on the side opposite to the other unit sheets. The aforementioned external connection terminal section is Non-stretchable base material and A lead wire formed on the non-stretchable substrate and connected to the stretchable wiring, It has, An electrode sheet according to any one of items (7) to (11), wherein an external connection terminal is formed by a portion of the aforementioned lead-out wiring. [Examples]

[0072] Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 will be described below using Figures 19(a) to 20(c). In Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-3, the silhouette of a subject (biological organism 300) based on the capacitance distribution was detected using the biological information acquisition system 200 according to the Examples and the biological information acquisition system (not shown) according to the Comparative Examples. Examples 1-3 Biometric information acquisition system This is the biological information acquisition system 200 described in the first embodiment above. The biological information acquisition systems according to Comparative Examples 1 to 3 differ from the biological information acquisition systems 200 according to Examples 1 to 3 in that they include a substrate having multiple electrodes 30, similar to Non-Patent Document 1, instead of an electrode sheet 100, but are otherwise configured similarly to the biological information acquisition systems 200 according to Examples 1 to 3.

[0073] Figures 19(a) to 20(c) are image data showing the distribution of capacitance accumulated on each electrode 30 using the biological information acquisition system 200 (or biological information acquisition system). As described above, in the generated image, areas corresponding to the biological tissue 300 become brighter (whiter), and areas not corresponding to the biological tissue 300 become darker (blacker). Figure 19(a) shows image data from Example 1, Figure 19(b) shows image data from Example 2, and Figure 19(c) shows image data from Example 3. Figure 20(a) shows image data from Comparative Example 1, Figure 20(b) shows image data from Comparative Example 2, and Figure 20(c) shows image data from Comparative Example 3. In Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, the capacitance accumulated in each electrode 30 was measured while the subject was in a left-facing lateral decubitus position (see Figure 13(a) of the first embodiment). In Example 2 and Comparative Example 2, the capacitance accumulated in each electrode 30 was measured while the subject was in a supine position (see Figure 13(b) of the First Embodiment). In Example 3 and Comparative Example 3, the capacitance accumulated in each electrode 30 was measured while the subject was in a right-facing lateral decubitus position (see Figure 13(c) of the First Embodiment).

[0074] As shown in Figure 19(a), in Example 1, both legs (leg portion 330) of the living organism 300 are visible as a silhouette. On the other hand, Figure 20( a As shown in ), in Comparative Example 1, of the two legs (leg portion 330) of the living organism 300, the left leg (Figure 20( a The leg positioned towards the foreground in the figure is primarily visible as a silhouette, and the right leg (Figure 20( a The shape of the legs (located towards the back) is not clearly defined in the silhouette. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 19(b), in Example 2, each part of the living organism 300 (torso 320, legs 330, arms 340) is more clearly visible as a silhouette compared to Comparative Example 2 shown in Figure 20(b). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 19(c), in Example 3, both legs (leg portions 330) of the living organism 300 are visible as silhouettes. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 20(c), in Comparative Example 3, the right leg (the leg positioned towards the foreground in Figure 20(c)) is primarily visible as a silhouette, while the shape of the left leg (the leg positioned towards the background in Figure 20(c)) is not clearly visible as a silhouette. Thus, according to the biological information acquisition system 200 of the first embodiment, the posture of the living organism 300 can be detected more accurately.

[0075] Next, Example 4 will be explained using Figure 21. In Example 4, the subjects slept on a sheet 400 to which the electrode sheet unit 150 was attached for 30 nights, and the resistance value of the elastic wiring 20 was measured each night. The sleep duration per night was approximately 7 hours. After 30 nights, the sheet 400 to which the electrode sheet unit 150 was attached was washed and dried (air-dried), and the resistance value of the elastic wiring 20 was measured again. The electrode sheet unit 150 used in Example 4, for example, comprises six electrode sheets 100. Furthermore, the resistance values ​​of each of the multiple stretchable wirings 20 on which electrodes 30 are formed were measured. Figure 21 is a graph showing the change in the resistance value of the stretchable wiring 20 when the electrode sheet unit 150 is attached to a sheet 400 and the subject repeatedly uses it while sleeping. The horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis on the left represents the resistance value (Ω). Here, in the electrode sheet 100, the 15 electrodes 30 arranged in the X direction are referred to as the 1st electrode to the 15th electrode, in order from the side where the external connection terminal portion 80 is provided (for example, the right side). In the graph shown in Figure 21, the resistance values ​​of the stretchable wiring 20 corresponding to the first electrode (electrode 30 located closest to the external connection terminal 80), the resistance value of the stretchable wiring 20 corresponding to the 15th electrode (electrode 30 located furthest away from the external connection terminal 80), and the average values ​​of the resistance values ​​of the stretchable wiring 20 corresponding to the first to 15 electrodes are shown. In the electrode sheet 100, the resistance value of the stretchable wiring 20 decreases as it approaches the external connection terminal 80 and increases as it moves away from the external connection terminal 80. Therefore, the resistance value of the first electrode is the minimum resistance value of the stretchable wiring 20, and the resistance value of the 15th electrode is the maximum resistance value of the stretchable wiring 20.

[0076] As shown in Figure 21, after 30 nights, the resistance values ​​of the stretchable wiring 20 were all 400Ω or less, including the minimum value (resistance of the first electrode), the maximum value (resistance of the 15th electrode), and the average value. Furthermore, even in the electrode sheet 100 after washing and drying, the resistance value of the stretchable wiring 20 was 400Ω or less. (No. 1 train Extreme The resistance value, the maximum value (resistance value of the 15th electrode), and the average value were all 400Ω or less. These results show that even if the electrode sheet unit 150 (multiple electrode sheets 100) is repeatedly used in practical applications involving sleeping, washing, etc., for a certain period of time, the resistance value of the stretchable wiring 20 will remain well below 2 kΩ. In the biological information acquisition system 200 according to the present invention, the detection of capacitance changes is performed under extremely high impedance. Therefore, according to the inventors' studies, the resistance value of the stretchable wiring 20 up to approximately 2 kΩ can be tolerated in the biological information acquisition system 200. Accordingly, it is considered that the biological information acquisition system 200 in the present invention can maintain good performance of the electrode sheet 100 even in practical stages involving sleeping, washing, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 10 Unit Sheets 10a Unit 1 Sheet 10b Second Unit Sheet 10c Unit 3 Sheet 11 Stretchable base material 11a One side 11b The other side 16 Through holes 20 Stretchable wiring 20a First stretchable wiring 20b 2nd elastic wiring 25 Connection terminal section 25a First connection terminal section 25b Second connection terminal section 25c Third connection terminal section 25d Fourth connection terminal section 30 electrodes 30a 1st electrode 30b 2nd electrode 32 Notched section 36 Positive electrode 37 Negative electrode 38 Earth electrode 40 relay sheet 40a First relay sheet 40b Second relay sheet 41 Stretchable relay substrate 43. Expandable relay wiring 43a First stretchable relay wiring 43b Second stretchable relay wiring 46 Stretchable Relay Cover 48 openings 48a 1st opening 48b 2nd opening 50 stretchable cover 50a One side 50b The other side 61 Adhesive layer 71. First release film 76. Second release film 80 External connection terminal section 80a First external connection terminal section 80b Second external connection terminal section 81 Non-stretchable base material 82 Output wiring 83 External connection terminals 91 Control Unit 94 Capacitance detection circuit 95. Electrocardiogram waveform detection circuit 96 Switching section 96a switch 100 electrode sheets 100a One side 100b The other side 150 electrode sheet units 200 Biometric Information Acquisition System 300 living organisms 310 Head 320 Torso 330 Legs 340 Arm 350 Insulator 360 skin 370 Capacitors 381-385 Dotted line 400 sheets (for attachment) 450 beds Virtual lines 501 and 502 503 Placement area

Claims

1. A flexible electrode sheet having multiple electrodes arranged in an array, With the electrode sheet positioned along the body so that the plurality of electrodes do not come into contact with the body, an electrode selection unit acquires electrical parameters from the plurality of electrodes and selects an electrode to be used for acquiring biological information based on the acquired electrical parameters. With the electrode sheet positioned along the living body such that the plurality of electrodes are not in contact with the living body, a biological information acquisition unit acquires the biological information from the electrodes selected by the electrode selection unit, Equipped with, The electrode selection unit detects changes in capacitance in each of the plurality of electrodes as electrical parameters, integrates the data set of capacitances of each of the plurality of electrodes detected, generates image data showing the distribution of capacitance in the arrangement area of ​​the plurality of electrodes, determines the posture of the living organism based on the image data, and selects the electrodes to be used to acquire the biological information based on the posture determination result.

2. The biological information acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the electrode selection unit selects an electrode to be used for acquiring the biological information by a determination operation performed by artificial intelligence.

3. The electrode selection unit selects three electrodes suitable for acquiring electrocardiogram patterns using the three-lead method. The biological information acquisition system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the biological information acquisition unit acquires an electrocardiogram waveform using the three-lead method as the biological information.

4. The electrode sheet comprises a plurality of unit sheets that are interconnected, Each of the unit sheets comprises a stretchable substrate, a plurality of stretchable wirings formed on the stretchable substrate and extending in parallel to one another, and a plurality of electrodes formed at one end of two or more of the plurality of stretchable wirings. The plurality of unit sheets are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes, A biological information acquisition system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the stretchable wirings of one unit sheet that is not terminated by an electrode is individually connected to the stretchable wirings of another unit sheet adjacent to the unit sheet.

5. A flexible electrode sheet having a plurality of electrodes arranged in an array, With the electrode sheet positioned along the body so that the plurality of electrodes do not come into contact with the body, an electrode selection unit acquires electrical parameters from the plurality of electrodes and selects an electrode to be used for acquiring biological information based on the acquired electrical parameters. With the electrode sheet positioned along the living body such that the plurality of electrodes are not in contact with the living body, a biological information acquisition unit acquires the biological information from the electrodes selected by the electrode selection unit, Equipped with, The electrode sheet comprises a plurality of unit sheets that are interconnected, Each of the unit sheets comprises a stretchable substrate, a plurality of stretchable wirings formed on the stretchable substrate and extending in parallel to one another, and a plurality of electrodes formed at one end of two or more of the plurality of stretchable wirings. The plurality of unit sheets are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes, Each of the stretchable wirings of one unit sheet that is not terminated by an electrode is individually connected to the stretchable wirings of other unit sheets adjacent to that unit sheet. The aforementioned multiple unit sheets are interconnected via relay sheets. Each of the aforementioned relay sheets comprises a stretchable relay substrate and a plurality of stretchable relay wirings formed on the stretchable relay substrate and extending in parallel to one another. A bio-information acquisition system in which the stretchable wiring of one unit sheet and the stretchable wiring of the other unit sheet are interconnected via the stretchable relay wiring.

6. comprising a plurality of unit sheets connected to each other, Each of the aforementioned unit sheets comprises a stretchable substrate, a plurality of stretchable wirings formed on the stretchable substrate and extending in parallel to one another, and a plurality of electrodes formed at one end of two or more of the stretchable wirings. The plurality of unit sheets are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes, Each of the stretchable wirings of one unit sheet that is not terminated by an electrode is individually connected to the stretchable wirings of other unit sheets adjacent to that unit sheet. An expandable cover that covers the plurality of expandable wirings is placed on top of the expandable substrate, In the plurality of expandable wirings, the end of the adjacent unit sheet is an electrode sheet that serves as a connection terminal exposed from the expandable cover.

7. comprising a plurality of unit sheets connected to each other, Each of the aforementioned unit sheets comprises a stretchable substrate, a plurality of stretchable wirings formed on the stretchable substrate and extending in parallel to one another, and a plurality of electrodes formed at one end of two or more of the stretchable wirings. The plurality of unit sheets are arranged in the direction of the arrangement of the plurality of electrodes, Each of the stretchable wirings of one unit sheet that is not terminated by an electrode is individually connected to the stretchable wirings of other unit sheets adjacent to that unit sheet. The aforementioned multiple unit sheets are interconnected via relay sheets. Each of the aforementioned relay sheets comprises a stretchable relay substrate and a plurality of stretchable relay wirings formed on the stretchable relay substrate and extending in parallel to one another. An electrode sheet in which the stretchable wiring of one unit sheet and the stretchable wiring of the other unit sheet are interconnected via the stretchable relay wiring.

8. The electrode sheet according to claim 7, wherein the wiring width of the stretchable relay wiring is greater than the wiring width of the stretchable wiring.

9. The electrode sheet according to any one of claims 6 to 8, having an adhesive layer or bonding layer for attaching the electrode sheet to an object to be attached.

10. Of the plurality of unit sheets, the end of the unit sheet located at one end in the direction in which the plurality of unit sheets are arranged, on the side opposite to the other unit sheets, is provided with an external connection terminal. The aforementioned external connection terminal section is Non-stretchable base material and A lead wire formed on the non-stretchable substrate and connected to the stretchable wiring, It has, The electrode sheet according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein an external connection terminal is formed by a portion of the aforementioned lead-out wiring.

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