Integrated Electrode Assembly for Self-Administered Meridian Diagnostics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diagnostic systems face challenges in accurately and efficiently measuring cross-body electrical currents for medical diagnostics, particularly when the patient is self-administering the test, due to difficulties in holding both the ground and probe electrodes in the same hand.
Innovation Solution
A current sensor with a rigid structure integrating both electrodes, allowing the patient to hold both electrodes in one hand, and optionally incorporating pressure sensors to ensure proper electrode contact pressure, along with a user interface for real-time feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ground electrode and probe electrode are separate and flexible, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases and measurement precision may deteriorate due to positioning difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ground electrode and probe electrode into a single integrated electrode assembly with a common housing. This merging eliminates the need for patients to separately hold two independent electrodes, simplifying the operation while reducing positioning errors that would arise from using separate flexible electrodes.
2Ease of operation
If the ground electrode and probe electrode are rigid and fixed relative to each other, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to different measurement locations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode assembly incorporates a movable probe electrode that can be adjusted along the housing to different measurement locations on the patient's body. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the rigid structure to adapt to various anatomical positions while maintaining the operational simplicity of holding a single fixed assembly.
3Measurement precision
If pressure sensors are added to monitor electrode contact, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor serves multiple functions: it monitors contact force to ensure measurement precision, provides feedback to the user about proper electrode placement, and can trigger measurement initiation or validation. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating several control functions into a single sensor system.
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 efficient measurement of cross-body electrical currents, facilitating rapid differentiation between viral and bacterial infections, and providing real-time feedback for proper electrode placement.
Implementation Method 1
The current sensor may take measurements of small applied electrical currents that flow between a probe electrode and a ground electrode
Implementation Method 2
one or more pressure sensors measure how much pressure is being applied to the probe and/or ground electrodes
Data Source
AI summary
A current sensor may take measurements of electrical currents that flow between two limbs of a mammal through at least a portion of the mammal's torso. The current measurements may be taken during a single diagnostic session while a ground electrode contacts the body at a preferably distal location on a limb and a probe electrode is sequentially placed at different locations on distal portions of other limbs. Each of the current delivery locations may be an acupuncture point. An electrical current state for the diagnostic session may be calculated. This state may consist of current ranges for one or more electrical currents that are measured during the session. A lookup table may be employed to determine one or more medical conditions that are indicated by the current state. Alternatively, a trained machine learning model may predict, based on the measured currents, one or more medical conditions.