ELECTRODE SYSTEM WITH IN-BAND IMPEDANCE DETECTION

• US 20120071781A1
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuronetrix Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Neuronetrix Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Fadem, Kalford C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,004,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a headset and a control unit in communication with each other. The headset comprises a plurality of electrodes operable to measure ERP readings. The headset is configured to be positioned on a test subject. The control unit is configured to store and administer an ERP test protocol. The control unit is also configured to administer an impedance test and process the impedance of the electrodes. The impedance testing may be performed in an in-band fashion, along the same channels used to perform the ERP testing, at the same frequency of the ERP readings, and substantially simultaneously with the ERP readings.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a headset comprising a plurality of electrodes operable to measure ERP readings, wherein the headset is configured to be positionable on a test subject;

(b) a control unit in communication with the headset, wherein the control unit is configured to store an ERP test protocol, wherein the control unit is configured to administer an ERP test through the headset, wherein the control unit is further configured administer an impedance test, wherein the impedance test is operable to measure the real-time impedance of the electrodes of the headset during execution of an ERP test on the test subject, wherein the control unit is operable to process the impedance of the electrodes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to administer an audiometry test.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headset and the control unit are in wireless communication.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headset and control unit are configured to measure ERP readings at a first frequency, wherein the headset and control unit are configured to measure impedance at the same first frequency, in band with the ERP readings.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to operate the impedance test at approximately 27.7 Hz.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headset comprises a reference channel operating at approximately 13.5 Hz.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is in communication with a host computer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the host computer is operable to store a plurality of test protocol operable to be sent to the control unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit and headset are configured to execute the ERP test through a first set of channels, wherein the control unit and headset are further configured to execute the impedance test through the same first set of channels, in band with the executed ERP test.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a handheld unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a switching protocol, wherein the control unit with the switching protocol is operable to take near real-time impedance measurements.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to store a plurality of test protocols.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control is configured to store a plurality of user preferences.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headset further comprises six channels associated with the electrodes.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headset comprises at least one measuring channel and at least one reference channel

16. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a headset comprising a plurality of electrodes configured to measure ERP readings;

(b) a control unit in communication with the electrodes, wherein the control unit is configured to administer an ERP test, wherein the electrodes have an impedance associated with the electrodes, wherein the control unit is configured to run an impedance protocol, wherein the control unit running the impedance protocol is operable to measure the impedance associated with the electrodes; and

(c) a computer, wherein the control unit is configured to transmit the impedance information to the computer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the headset comprises at least one reference channel and at least one measuring channel.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the headset and the control unit are operable to administer and audiometry test.

19. A method of measuring ERP data and impedance using a headset and a control unit, wherein the headset comprises a plurality of electrodes operable to measure ERP readings of a test subject, wherein the control unit is operable to administer an ERP test through the headset, wherein the control unit is further operable to measure impedance at the electrodes, the method comprising:

(a) providing one or more stimuli to the test subject through the headset;

(b) detecting ERP readings of the test subject in response to the one or more stimuli, wherein the ERP readings are gathered along a first channel at a first frequency using the electrodes; and

(c) detecting impedance at the electrodes, wherein the impedance is detected along the first channel at the first frequency.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of detecting ERP readings and the act of detecting impedance are performed substantially simultaneously.