Medical Patch Capacitance Detector for Skin Contact Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Medical patches used for monitoring and communication with in-vivo devices often fail to detect adequate contact with the skin, leading to potential malfunctions and disruptions in data communication during procedures like endoscopy, which can result in unnecessary patient preparation and procedure failures.
Innovation Solution
A patch with a contact area and a capacitance detector that provides positive or negative contact indication signals, utilizing a capacitance detection mechanism to ensure proper adhesion and communication, featuring a communication module for in-vivo devices and an antenna arrangement to maintain continuous data transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a medical patch is applied to the patient's skin using an adhesive layer, then the patch can be attached to the skin for monitoring and communication purposes, but the patch may become detached during procedures leading to malfunction and communication disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a detector that continuously monitors the contact between the patch's contact area and the patient's skin, providing real-time feedback on attachment status. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect detachment events and alert users, thereby improving attachment reliability without requiring complex mechanical reinforcement of the adhesive structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical attachment mechanisms with a simpler adhesive layer system, while compensating for potential detachment issues through electronic detection and feedback rather than mechanical interlocking structures. This substitution reduces device complexity while maintaining or improving reliability through intelligent monitoring.
2Device complexity
If the patch is designed with a simple adhesive structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the detection of adequate contact with the skin becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical contact detection mechanisms with an electrical or electronic detection system. The detector uses electrical properties (such as capacitance changes) to sense contact between the contact area and skin, thereby simplifying the mechanical structure while enhancing the capability to detect and measure contact status.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electrical intermediary (detector circuit) that mediates between the simple adhesive structure and the need for contact detection. This intermediary translates physical contact into detectable electrical signals, solving the contradiction between structural simplicity and detection capability.
3Reliability
If the patch detaches from the patient's skin during a procedure, then communication with in-vivo devices is disrupted, but detecting the detachment in time is challenging without proper detection mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements real-time feedback through the detector that continuously monitors contact status and immediately signals when detachment occurs. This immediate feedback mechanism eliminates detection delays, allowing users to be alerted instantly upon detachment, thereby maintaining communication reliability and preventing data loss during critical procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary detection setup by integrating the detector into the patch structure before the procedure begins. The system is pre-configured to monitor contact status, so that when detachment occurs, the detection mechanism is already in place and operational, eliminating any delay in detecting the detachment event.
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 patch effectively alerts users to detachment issues, ensuring proper attachment and maintaining communication with in-vivo devices, thereby preventing procedure failures and reducing the need for repeated patient preparation.
Implementation Method 1
The detector may be based on any one of the following mechanisms, but not limited thereto: electric current, electric capacitance, electric induction, heat capacitance and chemical reaction.
Data Source
AI summary
A patch configured for being applied to a patients skin, said patch comprising a contact area configured for being in direct contact with the patients skin when applied thereto, and a detector configured for detecting contact between the contact area and the patients skin.