Distributed Electrode Analyte Sensor for Rapid Hydration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing analyte sensors, particularly glucose sensors, face challenges in rapid initialization and hydration issues when implanted in vivo, leading to delayed start-up times and potential interference from local environment changes, fluid stagnation, and immune responses.

Innovation Solution

The development of analyte sensors with a distributed electrode configuration and aperture design, utilizing biocompatible materials and flexible conductive layers, facilitates hydration and initialization by ensuring fluid flow and reducing the impact of local environment changes, including the use of multiple electrodes and voltage pulsing methods to enhance sensor performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single electrode configuration is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability decreases due to vulnerability to local environment changes and fluid stagnation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor functionalityVSAvoidelectrode configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is divided into multiple independent electrode elements (first electrode, second electrode, third electrode) distributed across different locations. Each electrode can independently sense analytes, and the sensor continues to function even if one electrode is dislodged or fails, thereby improving reliability without requiring a highly complex integrated system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each electrode is positioned to sample the local environment at different locations within the body. This distributed arrangement ensures that local environment changes or fluid stagnation at one location do not affect the entire sensor's performance, as other electrodes can compensate and provide reliable measurements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If rapid initialization is achieved through optimized configuration, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases due to distributed electrode arrangement and aperture design

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinitialization speedVSAvoidsensor structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is pre-configured with multiple electrodes in specific geometric arrangements and pre-formed apertures in the cover layer before implantation. This preliminary structural optimization enables rapid hydration and initialization upon contact with body fluids, reducing start-up time from hours to minutes without requiring complex post-implantation adjustments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor utilizes a three-dimensional distributed electrode configuration with electrodes positioned at different depths and locations, along with strategically placed apertures in the cover layer. This spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions facilitates efficient fluid access and electrode hydration, accelerating initialization while maintaining a manageable structural complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If multiple electrodes are used to reduce impact of local environment changes, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidelectrode positioning

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor employs multiple discrete electrode elements that can be manufactured and positioned as separate components. This segmentation allows for more tolerant manufacturing processes compared to highly integrated single-structure electrodes, as each electrode can be independently fabricated and assembled with less stringent precision requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor design incorporates specific geometric parameters and spacing relationships between electrodes that are optimized to provide reliable analyte sensing even with variations in manufacturing precision. By carefully selecting electrode dimensions, spacing, and arrangement patterns, the system maintains measurement accuracy without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration significantly reduces sensor initialization time, improves hydration, and maintains functionality even if a portion of the sensor is dislodged, ensuring accurate and timely analyte monitoring.

Implementation Method 1

the analyte modulating layer comprises a composition that modulates the diffusion of an analyte diffusing through the analyte modulating layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

analyte sensors such as biosensors include devices that use biological elements to convert a chemical analyte in a matrix into a detectable signal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrochemical reaction:

Data Source

PatentUS10327678B2Analyte sensor apparatuses comprising multiple implantable sensor elements and methods for making and using them

Publication Date: 2019.06.25 MEDTRONIC MINIMED INC

AI summary

Embodiments of the invention provide analyte sensors having optimized elements and/or configurations of elements as well as methods for making and using such sensors. Typical embodiments of the invention include glucose sensors used in the management of diabetes.