Physiological Measurement Mat for Electrode Placement and Cable Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for measuring physiological values using contact lines create an unpleasant 'wired' sensation, lead to incorrect electrode placement, and are cumbersome to store and transport due to tangling and damage risks.
Innovation Solution
A mat with integrated or embedded line sections replaces traditional cables, allowing for secure, foldable, or rollable configuration that reduces the feeling of being 'wired' and simplifies correct electrode placement, while enabling secure storage and transport by accommodating external line sections within its folded or rolled state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional lines (tubes or cables) are used to connect measuring means to the measuring unit, then measurement variables can be conducted to the measuring unit, but the subject experiences an unpleasant feeling of being 'wired' and the lines are cumbersome to store and transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate lines into a single integrated mat structure. The mat combines multiple measurement functions and conductive paths into one unified component that contacts the subject's body surface, eliminating the need for multiple separate cables and improving both comfort and handling reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible mat made of thin film material that can conform to the subject's body contours. This flexible film structure replaces rigid cables, providing comfort during measurement while being easilyrollable and storable, thus resolving the contradiction between operational comfort and transport reliability.
2Measurement precision
If multiple separate lines with measuring means are used to connect different extremities, then comprehensive physiological measurements can be obtained, but correct assignment of electrodes to extremities becomes error-prone and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The mat is segmented into distinct contact regions corresponding to different body extremities. Each segment is designed with specific measurement electrodes positioned for optimal contact with particular body parts, enabling accurate measurement while simplifying the assignment process through spatial organization rather than complex wiring configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The single mat structure serves multiple measurement functions simultaneously, with different regions of the mat designed for contact with different extremities. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate specialized cables for each measurement site, reducing complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
3Reliability
If lines are provided with a protective jacket to prevent snapping or twisting, then damage protection is improved, but the lines become stiff and difficult to handle, and cannot be stored in a small package
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional jacketed cables with a flexible thin film mat structure that inherently protects the conductive paths while maintaining flexibility. The mat's construction provides damage protection through its structural design rather than through stiff protective jackets, allowing it to be easily handled, rolled, and stored in compact form.
Data Source
AI summary
A device used to establish a contact between a subject and a measuring device using measurement technology, wherein the subject can be a patient. The device has at least one measuring device for connecting to the subject and at least one line to which the measuring device is secured. The line is designed such that the measured variables detected by the measuring device can be conducted to a measuring unit. A mat is connected to the at least one line so as to at least partly form an internal line section.