TDCS Headset With Guided Electrode Placement for Home Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transcranial brain stimulation techniques face challenges with incorrect electrode placement, lack of patient compliance, and the need for physician supervision, leading to impracticality and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A headset with electrodes positioned on the left and right forehead, a bracket extending over the skull, and a circuit powered according to a schedule, featuring a memory, controller, and power source for autonomous use, along with a system that includes an electronic device for monitoring and controlling the therapy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a physician places the electrodes manually, then the electrode placement accuracy is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the need for professional supervision and frequent visits
Solution Approach 1:
The headset enables patients to perform transcranial brain stimulation themselves at home without physician supervision. The integrated guide structure automatically guides electrode placement to the correct positions on the forehead, allowing self-service operation while maintaining placement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
A physical guide structure integrated into the headset frame acts as an intermediary between the electrodes and the patient's forehead. This guide structure includes positioning elements that automatically align the electrodes with the correct anatomical locations, eliminating the need for manual placement by a physician.
2Productivity
If the patient performs the therapy frequently, then the therapeutic effect is improved, but the safety deteriorates due to potential over-treatment and unwanted side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The headset includes a controller that monitors and controls the duration and frequency of stimulation sessions. The system provides feedback to ensure therapy is delivered according to prescribed parameters, preventing over-treatment and unwanted side effects while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The therapy is delivered in controlled periodic sessions rather than continuously. The controller manages the timing and duration of each stimulation episode, allowing the brain to respond appropriately while preventing cumulative over-stimulation and associated side effects.
3Reliability
If the physician monitors the patient continuously, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity deteriorates due to the need for continuous supervision infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The headset incorporates all necessary safety and monitoring functions into the device itself, including a controller that manages therapy delivery and a power source that controls session duration. This eliminates the need for external physician monitoring infrastructure while maintaining safety through built-in control mechanisms.
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
Ensures correct electrode placement, reduces physician involvement, and provides patient compliance through scheduled therapy delivery, enhancing safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
During electrical transcranial brain stimulation, the potential of neuronal cells are influenced by an applied electric field. This field influences the neuronal cells under the stimulated area and pushes them closer or further away from their activation threshold.
Data Source
AI summary
A headset for transcranial brain stimulation including: a forehead frame defining an elongated arch; a first electrode arranged at a first end portion of the forehead frame; a second electrode arranged at a second end portion of the forehead frame; a bracket arranged at a center portion of the forehead frame; and a circuit comprising the first and second electrodes and configured to be powered according to a schedule for performing the transcranial brain stimulation.