Subsurface Electrodes for Electric Field Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heart pacemakers fail to control the propagation of electric pulses effectively through the heart muscle, leading to inefficient pumping sequences and potential muscle damage due to uncontrolled current distribution and lack of optimization in electrode placement.
Innovation Solution
The use of passive, field-shaping electrodes that are electrically insulated and positioned under the surface of the supporting structure allows for better control of the electric field, enabling precise adjustment of current injection and propagation paths within the heart, thereby optimizing the squeezing sequence and increasing the pumping efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional active electrodes are used for electrical stimulation, then current injection capability is achieved, but electric field control precision deteriorates due to uncontrolled current distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is segmented into two distinct functional components: passive field-shaping electrodes that define the electric field geometry, and active stimulating electrodes that inject current. This segmentation allows independent optimization of field control (by passive electrodes) and current injection (by active electrodes), resolving the contradiction between field precision and current control.
Solution Approach 2:
Passive electrodes act as intermediaries between the electrical stimulation system and the target tissue. These insulated electrodes shape the electric field in advance, creating controlled pathways that guide the current from active electrodes to the target, thereby improving field control precision while maintaining current injection capability.
2Measurement precision
If multiple electrodes are added to improve field control, then electric field shaping capability is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The passive electrodes serve multiple functions: they define the electric field geometry, guide current pathways, and work in conjunction with active electrodes for stimulation. This multi-functionality allows enhanced field control without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same passive structures perform multiple roles in the system.
3Productivity
If current injection is increased to improve stimulation effectiveness, then pumping efficiency improves, but muscle damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
Passive electrodes serve as intermediaries that pre-shape the electric field to create controlled current pathways through the heart muscle. This allows current to be distributed more uniformly and follow optimal paths, improving stimulation effectiveness while reducing peak current densities that could cause muscle damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spatial distribution parameters of the electric field by using passive electrodes to define field geometry. This transforms the current distribution from concentrated high-density paths to more uniform distributed paths, enabling effective stimulation at lower current levels that reduce muscle damage risk.
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
This approach enhances the heart's pumping efficiency by ensuring a more sequential and efficient contraction sequence, reducing muscle damage, and improving the control over the electric field to direct the current effectively, resulting in a higher pumping fraction and better volumetric stimulation.
Implementation Method 1
They are, nevertheless, well capable to project an electric field in the surrounding tissues (if inside an animal) or any other environment
Data Source
AI summary
An electric stimulator for heart (as in heart pacemakers), brain (as in DBS), organs and general cells, with electrodes in the space surrounding the main stimulating electrodes. These surrounding electrodes are more effective at creating the best electric field to guide the stimulating electric charges necessary for the purpose of the device. The surrounding electrodes are supported on a second supporting device, while the main electrodes are in a first supporting device we call picafina.