Disposable Kinemyography Sensor for Neuromuscular Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current reusable kinemyography sensors pose contamination risks, are prone to breakage, and experience accuracy degradation over time, leading to potential inaccuracies in neuromuscular transmission monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A single-use kinemyography sensor with a flexible substrate incorporating both stimulation and bend sensors, printed in a single process step, minimizing assembly errors and damage, and featuring a support frame that attaches to the patient's thumb and forefinger for reliable and intuitive application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reusable kinemyography sensors are used, then cost is reduced, but contamination risk increases and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable kinemyography sensor that is used once and then discarded, eliminating contamination risks associated with reusable sensors while maintaining measurement reliability. The sensor includes a support frame with a bendable middle section and printed circuits on a flexible substrate, designed for single-use application during surgical procedures.
2Reliability
If reusable kinemyography sensors are used, then cost is reduced, but breakage likelihood increases
Solution Approach 1:
By designing the sensor as a disposable single-use device, the patent eliminates the cumulative wear and breakage issues that affect reusable sensors. Each new sensor is guaranteed to be free from previous damage, ensuring consistent durability and measurement reliability for each patient application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates the stimulation circuit and bend sensor onto a single flexible substrate, creating a unified structure that reduces the number of separate components that could fail or break. This merging of functions into one disposable unit simplifies the overall structure and eliminates interface failure points.
3Reliability
If reusable kinemyography sensors are used, then cost is reduced, but measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable nature of the sensor ensures that each sensor is used within its optimal performance window, before any degradation can occur. This guarantees consistent measurement accuracy for each application, eliminating the accuracy deterioration that occurs with repeated use of reusable sensors over extended service lives.
4Manufacturing precision
If complex assembly processes are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but assembly errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the stimulation circuit and bend sensor onto a single flexible substrate using printing technology, eliminating the need for complex multi-step assembly processes. This integration reduces assembly errors while maintaining manufacturing precision, as the entire sensor can be fabricated in fewer steps with less manual intervention.
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 single-use kinemyography sensor provides reliable and replicable measurements, reduces contamination risks, and minimizes the likelihood of breakage, ensuring accurate neuromuscular transmission monitoring while being easy to apply and cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
a printed bend sensor is printed on the substrate and located on the bendable middle section of the support frame, wherein the printed bend sensor is configured to sense the bending of the support frame
Implementation Method 2
a pair of stimulation electrodes configured to adhere to a patient's skin to deliver a kinemyography stimulus
Data Source
AI summary
A kinemyography sensor includes a support frame and a flexible substrate, wherein at least a portion of the flexible substrate is attached to the support frame. The support frame is configured to attach to a patient's thumb and forefinger and has a bendable middle section configured to bend in response to movement of the patient's thumb. A printed stimulation circuit is printed on the substrate and includes a pair of stimulation electrodes configured to adhere to a patient's skin to deliver a kinemyography stimulus, and a printed bend sensor is printed on the substrate and located on the bendable middle section of the support frame, wherein the printed bend sensor is configured to sense the bending of the support frame.