Protruding Electrodes for Non-Planar Biomedical Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional biomedical sensors using disc electrodes face issues with low spatial resolution due to blurring effects from varying conductivities in the body and reference electrode problems, and they require electrolyte gels that can be irritating, time-consuming to apply, and prone to short circuits.
Innovation Solution
A biomedical sensor with protruding electrodes that extend from a common base, allowing for adjustable contact with non-planar surfaces and avoiding interference from attached materials, using a combination of fixed and resilient portions to maintain contact and potentially using conductive materials for enhanced conductivity, and employing concentric ring electrode configurations for improved signal-to-noise ratios and spatial selectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrolyte gel is used to bridge between electrodes and subject surface, then electrical conductivity is improved, but the gel dries over time changing electrical properties, requires sealing packaging, may irritate scalp, and application/removal is time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the electrolyte gel entirely from the system, replacing it with dry electrodes that make direct contact with the subject surface. This extraction eliminates the time-consuming application and removal processes while maintaining electrical conductivity through the dry electrode design itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable dry electrodes that are pre-packaged and ready-to-use. These single-use electrodes eliminate the need for gel application and removal, as they are simply attached and then discarded after use, significantly reducing preparation time while ensuring consistent electrical properties throughout their short service life.
2Reliability
If electrolyte gel is used to bridge between electrodes and subject surface, then electrical conductivity is improved, but the gel may directly connect closely spaced electrodes causing short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the electrolyte gel that causes short circuits between closely spaced electrodes by using dry electrodes instead. This removal of the conductive gel medium prevents direct electrical connection between adjacent electrodes while maintaining the necessary signal detection capability through the dry contact interface.
3Device complexity
If conventional disc electrodes are used, then simple structure is maintained, but spatial resolution is low due to blurring effects from varying conductivities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the electrode into multiple discrete contact points or elements arranged in specific patterns. This segmentation allows each element to detect local electrical potentials independently, thereby improving spatial resolution by reducing the blurring effects that occur with large, continuous disc electrodes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional two-dimensional disc electrode surfaces to three-dimensional protruding structures that extend toward the subject surface. This dimensional change creates multiple contact points at different heights and positions, enabling better spatial discrimination of electrical signals while adding minimal structural complexity.
4Reliability
If reference electrode is placed at different locations, then reference problem is addressed, but characteristics of EEG signals change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reference electrode into multiple distributed reference contacts rather than using a single reference point. This segmentation allows the system to compute a composite reference potential that is less sensitive to location-specific variations, thereby maintaining stable reference characteristics while preserving the true characteristics of the EEG signals through improved reference averaging.
Data Source
AI summary
A biomedical sensor is disclosed that provides at least first and second electrical nodes for connection to medical equipment. The biomedical sensor includes a plurality of protruding electrodes that extend from a common base. At least one of the protruding electrodes is coupled to the first electrical node, and at least two of the protruding electrodes are coupled to the second electrical node. At least one of the plurality of protruding electrodes is adjustable in length such that each of the plurality of protruding electrodes is adapted to contact a non-planar surface of a subject.