112 results about "Skin impedance" patented technology

Apparatus and methods are provided for determining in near realtime the position of a probe placed within a living body. Electric currents are driven between one or more electrodes on the probe and electrodes placed on the body surface. The impedance between the probe and each of the body surface electrodes is measured, and three-dimensional position coordinates of the probe are determined based on the impedance measurements. Dynamic compensation is provided for changing impedance of the body surface and its interface with the electrodes, resulting from such causes as electrode peel-off and changes in moisture and temperature. The compensation improves the accuracy of, inter alia, medical procedures, such as mapping the heart or performing ablation to treat cardiac arrhythmias.

A skin abrader for a biomedical electrode is disclosed wherein the abrader has a geometrically structured surface abrasive selected to provide sufficient abrasive effect to easily remove a portion of the stratum corneum of mammalian skin with minimal skin irritation, in order to reduce skin impedance encountered during diagnosis or monitoring of a mammalian patient.

A monitoring device for monitoring the physiological condition of a patient (1) on a continuous basis, which includes a transmitter unit (2) adapted to attach to a patient so as to be in contact with the skin of a patient, a corresponding receiver unit (5). The transmitter unit includes a strap or belt (3) adapted to attach to or around a body part of a patient. A plurality of sensors (E) are mounted to the belt for monitoring a plurality of patient physiological parameters, including at least the patient's skin impedance, heart rate and aspects of the heart beat. The sensors are connected to a microcontroller (8) which processes the signals and which is linked to a wireless transmitter (9). A portable receiver unit is adapted to receive and process the signal from the transmitter. The receiver unit includes a display (14) for data relating to the patient and preferably an alarm (15).

A bio-electrode for detecting heart signals and the like comprises a dry electode surface having an elevated resistivity to reduce the effect of polarization noise. The electrode is combined with a circuit having an external discharge resistor across which an output signal is obtained wherein the discharge resistor has a value which reduces the time constant of polarization noise to less than one second.

The skin preparation device and sensor of the present invention include an array of rigid tines. The tines serve to “self-prepare” the skin at each electrode site. These tines, when pressed against the skin, penetrate the stratum corneum, thereby reducing skin impedance and improving signal quality. A self-prepping device of the present invention is an optimized array of short non-conductive rigid tines in which the individual tines are created in a geometry that allows for a sharp point at the tip when molding, machining or etching is used as a method of fabrication. This non-conductive array with rigid penetrating structures may, therefore, be used in combination with a conductive medium, preferably an ionic conductive gel. In penetrating the stratum corneum, micro-conduits are created in the layers of the skin enabling the conductive medium to reach the low impedance layers and to transmit bioelectrical signals from the skin to the electrode surface. Such a self-prepping device can be readily mass produced using molding methods or possibly other manufacturing methods, thereby providing for a low cost means of achieving improved performance of the biopotential sensor. Additionally this invention includes the integration of this self-prepping device into a biopotential sensor comprising an array of one or more electrodes.

The present invention relates to a system for measuring the input impedance of a skin/electrode interface and selectively modifying the input impedance of the monitoring circuit to match the measured input impedance. More particularly, a simplified method for correcting for input impedance mismatch between electronic monitoring circuitry and the skin/electrode interface. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an input impedance measuring circuit will interface with a microprocessor and a reconfigurable switch network to select the input impedance of the electronic monitoring circuitry, thus eliminating the impedance sensitivity of EMG or EKG instruments.

RF energy for skin conditioning with a non-ablative electrode is applied with a handpiece incorporating means to prevent electrical shock to the patient when the energized electrode surface makes or breaks contact with the skin. In a preferred embodiment, switch means are incorporated in the handpiece and configured such that the active electrode surface is not energized until it is in actual contact with the patient's skin, and remains energized only while the active electrode surface remains in contact with the patient's skin, so that no voltage is present on the electrode, when an air gap whose dielectric breakdown can cause an electrical shock to the patient arises, immediately before or immediately after skin contact during a skin conditioning procedure. In another preferred embodiment, the electrode to skin impedance change as the electrode touches the skin is used to activate a switch that transfers RF to the electrode.

The invention provides a convenient and non-invasive means to prepare cells, tissues, and organs for electrical transmission and reception. In an embodiment of the invention, a control method comprises the use of at least one skin electrode, as a reference electrode, and an electrical sensor to measure periodically or continuously the skin's electrical conductance at the site of preparation. The dynamic change in the conductance through the skin is measured while the ultrasound is applied. Signal processing is performed on the measurement and the level of skin impedance change is controlled by performing a mathematical analysis and using the results of such analysis to control the application of ultrasonic energy. A desired level of skin impedance can be set at a predetermined value or based on a chosen level of skin integrity, subject's sensation of discomfort, or duration of the ultrasound application.

The invention relates to the modelling and design of early warning systems for detecting medical conditions using physiological responses. The device comprises sensors for monitoring physiological parameters such as skin impedance, heart rate, and QT interval of a patient, means for establishing when those parameters change, the rate of change of the parameters, and a neural network processor for processing the information obtained by the sensors. The neural network processor is programmed with a fast learning algorithm. When the neural network establishes that a physiological condition is present in the patient an alarm signal will be generated. The invention extends to a method of non-invasive monitoring of a person using a neural network programmed with a fast learning algorithm. A non-invasive hypoglycaemia monitor is specifically described.

A system for the analysis of ECG signals is disclosed. The system may comprise (i) at least one readout channel, configured to receive an analogue ECG signal acquired from at least one electrode attached to a body, and to extract an analogue measured ECG signal and analogue electrode-skin impedance signals; (ii) at least one ADC, configured to convert those extracted analogue signals at the readout channel into digital signals; (iii) a digital adaptive filter unit, configured to calculate a digital motion artifact estimate based on said digital versions of the measured ECG signal and the electrode-skin impedance signals; (iv) at least one DAC, configured to convert said digital motion artifact estimate into an analogue signal; and (v) a feedback loop for sending said analogue motion artifact estimate signal back to the readout channel configured to deduct said analogue motion artifact estimate signal from said analogue measured ECG signal.

The present invention provides a treatment device (10) for applying electrical impulses to a living body through the skin, for treating a variety of clinical conditions. The device comprises a pair of electrodes (32) for contact with the skin, and a waveform generator (46) for repeatedly generating an AC waveform for applying electrical impulses through the electrodes to the skin. A detector (50) detects changes in the skin impedance and generates detector output signals representing the skin impedance. Means (52) responsive to the detector output signals for monitor the responsivity of the skin, and indicator means (36, 58) activated by the monitoring means generate a first indication when a predetermined level of responsivity is reached and a second indication when a predetermined treatment has been administered.

The invention relates to a bio-electricity signal sensor. The bio-electricity signal sensor comprises an electrode, an electrolyte, a cavity capable of holding the electrolyte, and a porous column, wherein one end of the cavity is a sealed end, and the other end of the cavity is connected with an electrolyte entering end, and another end of the porous column is a working end in contact with a living body; at least a part of electrode is located in the electrolyte, the electrode is a conductor, and the cavity is either a conductor or an insulator. The bio-electricity signal sensor provided by the invention has the main advantages of being simple in structure, reliable to contact, precise to locate, low and stable in electrode-skin impedance, low in noise measurement, low in artifact and convenient and comfortable to use, and is capable of recycling for a long time, thereby being applicable to relevant applications of bioelectricity recording, measuring and stimulation, and particularly applicable to electroencephalogram measurement.

A method of measuring skin moisture content, the method including: measuring a differential rate of a skin impedance of a predetermined skin area of a user for a predetermined period of time; and determining that the skin area is a moist area when the differential rate of skin impedance is greater than or equal to a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time, and determining that the skin area is a dry area when the differential rate of skin impedance is less than the predetermined value for the predetermined period of time.

The invention provides an apparatus and method for automatic evaluation of skin resistance or impedance variations in order to diagnose the state of health of at least a portion of a human or animal body. The difference between an AC impedance measured at a specific frequency and at a specific skin area with calibration electrode and a reference electrode and the impedance measured at a similar frequency and in the same area with a measurement electrode and a reference electrode, is used to determine the state of health of the internal organ corresponding to the examined skin area. Alternatively, the skin between the electrodes is exposed to a DC potential of a magnitude selected to give a breakthrough effect. The resistance of the skin is measured between a measurement electrode polarised negatively with respect fo a reference electrode, and the DC resistance of the same skin area is again measured but with the measurement electrode polarised positively with respect to the reference electrode. The ratio of these two values is used to determine the state of health of the internal organ corresponding with the examined skin area.

A method for analyzing skin response waveform information obtained by measuring skin impedance with a voltage of a predetermined frequency. A current value at the start of polarization caused by the application of the voltage is determined, followed by determining a current value after a predetermined amount of time from the start of the polarization. A current value after termination of the polarization (value NT) is then determined and the difference between the current value at the start of the polarization and after the predetermined amount of time from the start of the polarization (value A) is determined. The difference between the current value after the predetermined amount of time from the start of the polarization and the value NT (value B) is determined, followed by analyzing the skin response waveform information using the ratios A/B, B/A and the value NT.

The invention provides an intelligent type skin management system. The system comprises a detection unit used for detecting the impedance value of the current skin; an information input unit used for inputting personal information by a user; a first database where corresponding relations of skin impedance values and skin quality indexes are stored; a second database where corresponding relations of the skin impedance values, personal information and user skin ages are stored; a data processing unit used for achieving moisture, oil and elasticity values of the current skin and achieving the skin age of the user; a data analysis unit used for determining the skin type according to the moisture, oil and elasticity values of the current skin and providing skin management suggests; and a data sending unit used for sending the moisture, oil and elasticity values of the current skin, the skin age and the skin management suggests to a terminal. By employing the intelligent type skin management system meeting demands of preferred embodiments of the invention, skin states can be detected through a data quantification manner, and customized and professional skin care suggests are provided based on the detected data.