Knitted ECG Electrode Regions With Controlled Elasticity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Knitted electrodes in wearable health monitoring garments face challenges in maintaining stable positioning and dimensions due to natural stretch, which affects the quality of ECG signals, especially during movement, as people of the same size have varying body structures, leading to inconsistent electrode placement and noise in recordings.
Innovation Solution
The method involves reducing the elasticity of selected textile regions by applying rigidifying materials such as thermoplastic polyurethane, fusible knitting yarn, or non-elastic yarn to maintain fixed distances between electrodes, ensuring stable positioning and preventing stretch, even when the garment is worn or the wearer moves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If knitted electrodes are made from conductive yarn knitted with basic yarns, then the garment provides flexibility and comfort for movement, but the natural stretch of the knitted fabric causes electrode positioning to vary and introduces artifacts in ECG signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different knitting patterns to different regions of the garment. Specifically, it uses a first knitting pattern for the electrode regions that limits elasticity, while using a second knitting pattern for non-electrode regions that maintains flexibility. This local differentiation allows the electrode areas to maintain stable positioning while the rest of the garment remains comfortable and adaptable to movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment is divided into distinct functional zones: electrode regions with limited elasticity and non-electrode regions with normal stretch. The patent segments the knitted fabric by applying specific knitting patterns only to electrode-containing regions, thereby isolating the stability requirement to where it is needed without compromising overall garment flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the knitted fabric allows natural stretch, then the garment adapts to different body structures and movements, but the electrode distance from the monitored organ changes, causing noise and artifacts in ECG recordings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates local quality differences by implementing a first knitting pattern in electrode regions that restricts stretch, while allowing the rest of the garment to maintain natural elasticity for body adaptation. This ensures that electrode-to-organ distance remains stable for measurement precision while the garment overall adapts to different body structures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the garment is designed for a given size to fit various people, then it achieves broad applicability, but people of the same size have different body structures leading to inconsistent electrode placement
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing specific knitting patterns localized to electrode regions, the patent ensures that electrode placement consistency is maintained regardless of variations in body structure among users of the same size. The restricted elasticity in electrode areas provides a stable reference framework that preserves manufacturing precision while allowing the garment to accommodate different body types.
4Reliability
If rigidifying materials are applied to selected textile regions to reduce elasticity, then electrode positioning stability is improved, but the garment complexity and manufacturing process are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the knitting parameters (pattern selection, stitch type, yarn arrangement) in electrode regions to inherently limit elasticity without requiring additional rigidifying materials or post-processing steps. This approach achieves electrode positioning stability through the knitting process itself, avoiding increased manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for substantially reducing the elasticity of at least one selected textile region of a garment. The method includes producing the garment including a conductive textile electrode and rigidifying the at least one selected textile region. The rigidifying process includes applying rigidifying matter onto or into the at least one selected textile region. The at least one selected textile region is selected from the group consisting of a conductive textile electrode and a region of the garment situated between two adjacent textile electrodes. The invention further provides a garment having a tubular form, knitted by a seamless knitting machine with base-yarns. The garment includes at least one conductive textile electrode, composed of multiple knitted line segments, each knitted with a conductive yarn and a spandex yarn, wherein the spandex yarn and at least one base-yarn are knitted continuously.