Trench Electrode Biosignal Measurement MXene
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry electrodes for biosignal measurement face challenges in achieving low impedance and sufficient contact area without causing skin irritation, and wet electrodes are messy and also irritating.
Innovation Solution
A conductive electrode with a substrate having trenches filled with conductive material, such as MXene, and an adhesive conductive solid gel material, providing a low impedance and increased contact area without the need for aqueous gel, with a lead-out electrode for connection to a detection unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If skin abrasion is performed to improve contact impedance, then contact impedance is reduced, but skin irritation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode substrate is divided into multiple trenches that extend through the substrate thickness, creating segmented conductive pathways. This segmentation increases the effective contact area with the skin without requiring abrasion, as the trenches distribute the contact pressure across multiple localized regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive material is placed within trenches that extend in the third dimension (through the substrate thickness), creating vertical conductive pathways. This dimensional change allows the electrode to achieve low contact impedance through increased vertical contact area rather than horizontal expansion, avoiding skin abrasion.
2Reliability
If wet electrodes with pins are used to reduce contact impedance, then contact impedance is reduced, but skin irritation and messiness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode design extracts and eliminates the need for pins and aqueous gel by incorporating conductive material directly within trenches in the substrate. This removal of harmful elements (pins and gel) maintains low contact impedance through the trench structure while eliminating skin irritation and messiness associated with wet electrodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode substrate itself serves the dual function of mechanical support and electrical conduction through the trenches. The conductive material within the trenches provides the necessary electrical pathway without requiring external gel or pins, making the electrode self-sufficient and eliminating the need for additional irritating components.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple dry electrode structure is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but contact area and signal quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode substrate has different properties in different regions: the trenches contain conductive material for electrical conduction, while the surrounding substrate material provides mechanical support and adhesion. This local differentiation allows the electrode to achieve both simple manufacturing (using standard substrate materials) and increased contact area (through the trench structure).
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
The electrode achieves low impedance and improved signal transmission with reduced noise, avoiding skin irritation and the use of messy gels, while maintaining flexibility to conform to skin topologies.
Implementation Method 1
a conductive material within the plurality of trenches and extending between the first and second opposed main surfaces so as to provide an electrically conductive path between the first and second opposed main surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
A conductive electrode that includes a substrate having first and second opposed main surfaces and a plurality of trenches extending between the first and second opposed main surfaces; and a conductive material within the plurality of trenches and extending between the first and second opposed main surfaces so as to provide an electrically conductive path between the first and second opposed main surfaces.