DRY ELECTRODES FOR ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY

• US 20110046503A1
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: NeuroFocus Inc. (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Inventors: Pradeep, Anantha, Knight, Robert T., Gurumoorthy, Ramachandran
• Granted Patent: US 10,987,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts

Abstract

An electroencephalography (EEG) system includes a dry electrode design having a jagged, angular, comb, etc. shaped support housing. Each dry electrode housing includes multiple electrodes where each electrode has multiple contacts for scalp placement with minimal interference from hair. Signals from individual contacts may be disregarded and each housing may provide one or more aggregated signals for data analysis. Each electrode may be placed in close proximity with neighboring electrodes as no conductive gel is required and may be attached to the scalp using straps, elastic cap, spring-type materials, tape, etc. The dry electrode design effectively measures bio-signals including neurological activity.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying stimulus material presented to a user;

obtaining neuro-response data from a plurality of electroencephalography (EEG) dry electrodes placed on the scalp of the user, each of the plurality of EEG dry electrodes having a plurality of contacts, wherein a first plurality of EEG dry electrodes are included in a first housing and a second plurality of EEG dry electrodes are included in a second housing, the first plurality of EEG dry electrodes having a first plurality of contacts and the second plurality of EEG dry electrodes having a second plurality of contacts;

disregarding a plurality of signals from the first plurality of contacts;

aggregating remaining signals from the first plurality of contacts and provided an aggregated signal from the first housing to a data analyzer for analysis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein remaining signals are aggregated by averaging remaining signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of signals having significant high frequency noise (>

40 Hz) are disregarded.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of signals having low signal to noise ratios are disregarded.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of signals exhibiting amplifier blocking are disregarded.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of signals are disregarded by removing signals indicating imminent detachment of an associated electrode from the scalp.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein remaining signals are aggregated by identifying signals from the first plurality of contacts most closely corresponding to an expected signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing is a jagged shaped support structure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein periodically a different plurality of signals are disregarded from the first plurality of contacts.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a different plurality of signals are disregarded from the first plurality of contacts upon detecting poor characteristics exhibited by remaining signals.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a stimulus presentation device configured to present stimulus material to a user;

a plurality of electroencephalography (EEG) dry electrodes configured for placement on the scalp of the user, each of the plurality of EEG dry electrodes having a plurality of contacts, wherein a first plurality of EEG dry electrodes are included in a first housing and a second plurality of EEG dry electrodes are included in a second housing, the first plurality of EEG dry electrodes having a first plurality of contacts;

selection circuitry configured to disregard a plurality of signals from the first plurality of contacts and aggregate remaining signals from the first plurality of contacts;

a transmitter configured to provide an aggregated signal from the first housing to a data analyzer for analysis.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein remaining signals are aggregated by averaging remaining signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a plurality of signals having significant high frequency noise (>

40 Hz) are disregarded.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a plurality of signals having low signal to noise ratios are disregarded.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a plurality of signals exhibiting amplifier blocking are disregarded.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a plurality of signals are disregarded by removing signals indicating imminent detachment of an associated electrode from the scalp.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein remaining signals are aggregated by identifying signals from the first plurality of contacts most closely corresponding to an expected signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the housing is a jagged shaped support structure.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein periodically a different plurality of signals are disregarded from the first plurality of contacts.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a different plurality of signals are disregarded from the first plurality of contacts upon detecting poor characteristics exhibited by remaining signals.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

means for identifying stimulus material presented to a user;

means for obtaining neuro-response data from a plurality of electroencephalography (EEG) dry electrodes placed on the scalp of the user, each of the plurality of EEG dry electrodes having a plurality of contacts, wherein a first plurality of EEG dry electrodes are included in a first housing and a second plurality of EEG dry electrodes are included in a second housing, the first plurality of EEG dry electrodes having a first plurality of contacts and the second plurality of EEG dry electrodes having a second plurality of contacts;

means for disregarding a plurality of signals from the first plurality of contacts;

means for aggregating remaining signals from the first plurality of contacts and provided an aggregated signal from the first housing to a data analyzer for analysis.