Elastic Wearable Sensor for Durable Skin Attachment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wearable sensors face challenges in maintaining attachment to human skin due to significant skin movement, leading to discomfort and reduced adhesion durability, especially when used for extended periods, as human skin is highly elastic and can experience compressive and tensile strain up to 30-50%.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a first assembly, a second assembly, and a connecting member with adhesive portions and a flexible composite board that transitions between configurations to accommodate skin deformations, ensuring durable adhesion and breathability by using a composite assembly with conductive traces and electronic components for biosignal monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If strong adhesives are used to attach the sensor device to the patient's skin, then adhesion strength is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates due to lack of breathability and skin irritation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidskin irritation and breathability issues

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible substrate that conforms to the skin surface, allowing the sensor device to maintain attachment without requiring strong adhesives. The flexible nature of the substrate enables it to adapt to skin movements and deformations, reducing the need for aggressive adhesive materials that cause irritation and breathability problems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor device is designed with elastic connecting portions that can dynamically deform with skin movements. This dynamic adaptability allows the device to maintain effective contact with the skin through mechanical compliance rather than relying on strong adhesive bonds, thereby improving patient comfort while maintaining attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If the sensor device is designed to be rigid for structural stability, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to skin deformations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidconformality with skin surface

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor device is divided into multiple segments including rigid sensor components and flexible connecting portions. This segmentation allows the rigid parts to maintain manufacturing precision and structural stability, while the flexible connecting portions adapt to skin deformations and movements, achieving both objectives simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The device utilizes composite construction combining rigid materials for sensor components requiring precision and stability, with flexible materials for connecting portions that need to accommodate skin movements. This composite approach enables different parts of the device to have optimized properties for their specific functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Adaptability or versatility

If the connecting member is made elastic to accommodate skin strain, then adaptability to skin movement is improved, but maintaining stable electrical connection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of skin strainVSAvoidelectrical connection stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses flexible printed circuit boards or thin film conductors as connecting members that can elastically deform with skin movements while maintaining continuous electrical pathways. These flexible conductive structures provide both the adaptability needed for skin compliance and the electrical stability required for reliable signal transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

The system effectively maintains attachment to the skin despite movement, reducing stress at the skin-adhesive interface, improving adhesion durability, and enhancing user comfort while allowing for breathable and conformal wear.

Implementation Method 1

the connecting portion being elastic so that a change in separation between the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion is allowed by elastic deformation of the connecting portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3914152B1Elastic wearable sensor

Publication Date: 2025.09.10 OTSUKA PHARM CO LTD

Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B

AI summary

In some embodiments, a system includes a first assembly, a second assembly, and a connecting member. The first assembly includes a first electrode and a first adhesive portion. The first assembly is configured to be coupled to a surface of a patient via the first adhesive portion. The second assembly includes a second electrode and a second adhesive portion. The second assembly is configured to be coupled to the surface of the patient via the second adhesive portion. The connecting member has a first end coupled to the first assembly and a second end coupled to the second assembly. The connecting member is configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration and may be configured to be coupled to the surface of the patient via a third adhesive portion in both the first configuration and the second configuration.