Miniaturized Impedance Sensors for Wearable Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wearable devices face limitations in data collection due to space constraints, sensor accuracy, and material limitations, particularly with bioimpedance sensors, which are hindered by sensor size, accuracy, and the impact of skin moisture and surface area contact.

Innovation Solution

The development of miniaturized impedance sensors integrated into flexible and durable wearable devices with miniaturized electrodes on a flexible substrate, allowing for improved skin contact, reduced acclimation periods, and increased measurement depths, along with a compact arrangement of sensors for enhanced durability and precision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional bioimpedance sensors are used in wearable devices, then they can perform physiological measurements, but they suffer from large sensor size, low accuracy, and long acclimation periods due to skin moisture and surface area contact limitations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor accuracyVSAvoidsensor size

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is divided into multiple miniaturized electrodes (e.g., four electrodes) arranged in a compact configuration on a flexible substrate. This segmentation allows each electrode to be very small while collectively providing sufficient measurement capability, resolving the contradiction between small size and measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from conventional large planar electrodes to miniaturized electrodes arranged in a specific geometric pattern (e.g., interdigitated or linear array) on a flexible substrate that can conform to the skin. This dimensional reorganization allows the sensor to maintain measurement accuracy while reducing overall footprint and acclimation time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Volume of moving object

If sensor size is reduced to fit space constraints, then wearable devices become more compact, but sensor accuracy and skin contact quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor sizeVSAvoidsensor accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible substrate is designed with varying local properties - the miniaturized electrodes are positioned and sized optimally for measurement accuracy at the skin interface, while the overall sensor maintains a compact form factor. This local optimization allows small size without sacrificing measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of time

If acclimation period is reduced for faster measurements, then measurement speed increases, but contact quality and measurement reliability may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacclimation periodVSAvoidmeasurement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible substrate is pre-configured with miniaturized electrodes in optimal positions and orientations before application to the skin. This preliminary preparation ensures that upon contact, the electrodes are immediately positioned for reliable measurements, significantly reducing or eliminating the acclimation period while maintaining measurement reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Volume of moving object

If miniaturized electrodes are used to reduce sensor size, then sensor compactness improves, but manufacturing precision and alignment requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor sizeVSAvoidelectrode alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple miniaturized electrodes are integrated onto a single flexible substrate using conventional fabrication techniques such as screen printing, sputtering, or photolithography. This merging of multiple electrodes into one manufacturable component allows precise alignment to be achieved through standard manufacturing processes rather than post-fabrication assembly, reducing both size and manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11771334B1Methods and devices for aligning miniaturized impedance sensors in wearable devices

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIV

AI summary

A method, system, apparatus, and/or device to align a miniaturized impedance sensor over the muscular-walled tube of a user. The method, system, apparatus, and/or device may include: a band comprising a shape, size, and flexibility designed for attaching the band to a body part of a user, where the body part includes a dermal layer and a muscular-walled tube; a miniaturized impedance sensor embedded in the band and positioned in the band to be pressed against a portion of the body part adjacent to the muscular-walled tube as the user wears the band, where the miniaturized impedance sensor may include two or more miniaturized electrode strips or an array of miniaturized electrode pillars; and an alignment device embedded in the band and configured in the band to align the miniaturized impedance sensor over the muscular-walled tube as the user wears the band.