Objective Facial Muscle Response Testing with Electrical Stimulation and CMAP

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for determining the efficacy of facial muscle relaxants rely on subjective data, leading to inconsistent and unreproducible results due to individual variability in facial muscle contractions.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing an external electrical stimulus to objectively contract facial muscles, combined with quantitative measurements of contractile activity using CMAP or sEMG, to assess the effectiveness of treatment materials in reducing muscle contraction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If subjective facial movements are used to measure muscle contraction, then the testing method is simple and easy to perform, but the results are inconsistent and unreproducible due to individual variability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereproducibility of muscle contraction measurementVSAvoidcomplexity of measurement apparatus

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of voluntary facial muscle contraction with an electrical stimulation system. An electrical stimulus is applied to the facial nerve to objectively induce muscle contraction, eliminating the subjectivity and variability inherent in voluntary movements. This substitution of mechanical action with electrical control provides consistent, reproducible measurements while maintaining practical simplicity in the overall testing procedure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If voluntary facial movements are used for testing, then no special equipment is needed, but the degree and intensity of movements are subjective and personalized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobjectivity of muscle contraction measurementVSAvoiddifficulty of standardizing muscle contraction

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces subjective mechanical facial movements with objectively controllable electrical stimulation. By applying standardized electrical stimuli to the facial nerve, the system achieves precise, standardized muscle contraction measurements that are independent of individual subjectivity. This allows for consistent measurement protocols across different subjects and testing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the measurement parameter from subjective visual assessment of facial movements to objective electrical parameters (CMAP amplitude, sEMG signal intensity). By measuring electrical responses rather than physical movements, the system achieves standardized, quantifiable data that can be precisely compared across different subjects and treatment conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If subjective movement assessment is used, then the testing procedure is simple, but unwanted variability is introduced making treatment effect determination difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsistency of muscle contraction dataVSAvoidtime required for repeated measurements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces repeated subjective movement assessments with a single objective electrical stimulation protocol. By using standardized electrical stimuli to induce muscle contraction and measuring the resulting electrical responses (CMAP, sEMG), the system achieves consistent, reliable data in a single testing session, eliminating the need for multiple repeated measurements and reducing overall testing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical 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

Provides a reliable and reproducible assessment of treatment materials' ability to relax facial muscles, enabling precise determination of their effectiveness in reducing wrinkles.

Implementation Method 1

applying an external electrical stimulus to facial skin sufficient to contract a facial muscle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical stimulation: Electrical Impedance Tomography

Implementation Method 2

measuring the contractile activity of the contracted facial muscle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromyography: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS12350491B2Method for determining facial muscle responses

Publication Date: 2025.07.08 MARY KAY INC

AI summary

A method for quantitatively assessing muscle contraction of a facial muscle in a person and determining the ability of a treatment material to reduce contraction of the facial muscle is disclosed. The method can include applying an external electrical stimulus to facial skin sufficient to contract a facial muscle, measuring the contractile activity of the contracted facial muscle by measuring the compound motor action potential (CMAP) of the contracted facial muscle to obtain a first average measurement of contractile activity of the contracted facial muscle, administering the treatment material by topically applying the treatment material to the facial skin, and repeating steps (a) and (b) to obtain a second average measurement of contractile activity of the contracted facial muscle.