Segmented Electrode for Precise Neuromuscular Stimulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrodes for neuromuscular stimulation often fail to contact the desired neuromuscular pathways effectively, leading to incomplete or unintended stimulation, and they require higher power consumption due to non-segmented designs.
Innovation Solution
A segmented electrode mounted on a biocompatible support structure, where each segment is electrically isolated and can be independently controlled to ensure precise contact and stimulation, reducing power requirements by only activating necessary segments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a non-segmented electrode design is used, then the electrode structure is simpler, but the power consumption increases and stimulation precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is divided into multiple independently controllable segments, allowing only the necessary segments to be activated for each stimulation task. This segmentation enables precise targeting of specific neuromuscular pathways while leaving other segments inactive, thereby reducing overall power consumption compared to a non-segmented design where the entire electrode must be activated.
2Device complexity
If a non-segmented electrode design is used, then the electrode structure is simpler, but the stimulation precision and contact accuracy decrease
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the electrode into multiple segments, each segment can be independently controlled to contact and stimulate specific neuromuscular pathways. This allows for precise targeting of desired pathways while avoiding unintended stimulation of adjacent pathways, thereby improving stimulation precision compared to a non-segmented electrode that cannot selectively contact specific pathways.
3Reliability
If the electrode extends beyond the support structure, then the contact reliability with neuromuscular pathways improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode segments are designed to extend beyond the support structure, allowing each segment to independently contact neuromuscular pathways. This extension improves contact reliability by ensuring that at least some segments make contact with the target pathways. The segmented design manages the complexity by organizing multiple contact points in a structured manner, where each segment can be independently positioned and controlled.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrode having a plurality of electrically conductive segments, each segment being electrically isolated from adjacent segments. The segments are adapted to control living tissue, typically a neuromuscular pathway for delivery of stimulation signals to a desired pathway. The segments may be selectively chosen for the delivery of the stimulation signals, so as to avoid delivery of stimulation signals to tissue in contact with segments not chosen.