Expandable Electrode Set with Deformable Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrode sets require specialized technicians for precise placement on body parts, limiting their use to hospitals and increasing costs due to the need for accurate alignment, which is challenging for three-dimensional body parts.
Innovation Solution
An expandable electrode set with alignment markers and deformable connectors that allow for self-placement by transferring a pull force to nodes, enabling accurate positioning on various body shapes and sizes without the need for specialized installation, using materials like polyimide and conductive pads for effective signal measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional electrode sets are used with rigid connectors, then manufacturing and storage are simplified, but placement precision on three-dimensional body parts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic deformable structure that can change its shape and distance between nodes. The connector is designed to be deformable along its length, allowing it to adapt to three-dimensional body surfaces while maintaining electrical connectivity. This dynamic capability enables the electrode set to conform to complex body geometries, significantly improving placement precision without requiring overly complex manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector's physical parameters are designed to be changeable - specifically, the distance between first and second nodes can vary as the connector deforms. The connector includes features like creases or flexible sections that allow controlled deformation when force is applied. This parameter change capability enables the electrode set to transition from a flat storage state to a three-dimensional deployed state, achieving precise placement on body parts while keeping the manufacturing process relatively simple.
2Measurement precision
If specialized technicians perform electrode placement, then measurement accuracy is improved, but operational costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment markers are pre-positioned on the electrode set at specific locations corresponding to anatomical landmarks. These markers provide visual guides that enable non-specialized users to correctly position the electrodes on body parts without requiring technical expertise. The markers are strategically placed to indicate proper orientation and placement locations, ensuring measurement accuracy while simplifying the operation to a point where it can be performed by ordinary users following visual cues.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode set is designed to be self-aligning and self-positioning through the alignment marker system. Users can independently perform the placement task by following the visual guidance provided by the markers, eliminating the need for specialized technicians. The system essentially guides itself into the correct position through the pre-designed marker locations and the natural anatomy reference points they correspond to.
3Volume of moving object
If the electrode set is designed for compact storage, then portability is improved, but adaptability to different body shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector's deformable nature allows the electrode set to exist in multiple configurations - a compact flat state for storage and transport, and an expanded three-dimensional state for deployment on body parts. The connector can be deformed along its length to increase the distance between nodes and adapt to various body geometries. This dynamic transformation capability enables the same device to serve both compact storage requirements and adaptability to different body shapes and sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode set can be folded or collapsed into a compact form that nests within a small storage volume. The flexible connector allows the nodes and wiring to be arranged in a space-efficient configuration during storage, while the same structure can be deployed into a three-dimensional arrangement during use. This nesting capability enables portability without sacrificing the adaptability to different body shapes when deployed.
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
Enables accurate and cost-effective electrophysiological signal measurement by allowing non-technical users to properly align electrodes on body parts, increasing accessibility and reducing installation costs, while maintaining signal quality across different body sizes and shapes.
Implementation Method 1
the connector formed from a shape that provides for a consistent deformation from a first distance between the first node and the second node to one or more second distances between the first node and the second node as a pull force is applied to the first node or the second node
Implementation Method 2
the at least one alignment marker is configured to transfer the pull force to either the first node or the second node as the alignment marker is being affixed to the landmark
Implementation Method 3
the first node comprising a first pad for receiving electromagnetic energy from a first portion of a part being studied, the second node comprising a second pad
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable electrode set, methods of using the expanding electrode set, electrode set systems, and methods of manufacturing an electrode set. Various examples of an electrode set include nodes that are physically connected to each other by connectors that have a shape that allows for the deformation of the electrode set. The shape and material of the connectors is designed to provide a consistent deformation so that, when placing alignment markers on a part of a body to be monitored, the nodes end up in correct locations on the part of the body for the measurement being performed. The electrode set may include sensors, emitters, or sensors and emitters in various configurations.