System And Method For Optode And Electrode Positioning Cap For Electroencephalography, Diffuse Optical Imaging, and Functional Neuroimaging

• US 20130303874A1
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Trustees of Dartmounth College (Dartmouth College)
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Dartmounth College (Dartmouth College)
• Inventors: Diamond, Solomon G., Giacometti, Paolo
• Granted Patent: US 8,948,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14553 specially adapted for cerebral tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]

Abstract

An electroencephalographic electrode and optode positioning device has the form of a cap suitable for placement on a subject'"'"'s head. The cap has semirigid telescopic structures that stiffen it to provide accurate electrode and optode spacing, and stability during subject activity. The cap is intended for use in functional neuroimaging and, although its materials are compatible with fMRI, is usable without fMRI to permit study of physically as well as mentally active subjects.

Claims

1. A positioning cap comprising:

at least one semirigid telescopic structure forming at least one loop, the semirigid telescopic structure capable of extension and compression while maintaining even spacing of devices selected from the group consisting of optodes and electrodes attached thereto; and

an elastomeric tensioning device configured to tighten the semirigid telescopic structure around an object.

2. The positioning cap of claim 1 further comprising at least one semirigid telescopic structure forming a bridge across the loop.

3. The positioning cap of claim 2 wherein the semirigid telescopic structures comprise a plurality of links and pivots, and wherein a plurality of devices selected from the group consisting of optodes and electrodes serve as at least some of the pivots of the telescopic structures.

4. The positioning cap of claim 2 wherein a plurality of the pivots are center pivots each located at a center of at least two links, and a plurality of the pivots are located at an end of at least two links, and where the devices selected from the group consisting of the optodes and electrodes comprise at least some of the center pivots.

5. The positioning cap of claim 2 further comprising at least one semirigid telescopic structure forming a sagittal bridge across the loop.

6. The positioning cap of claim 5 wherein the semirigid telescopic structures comprise a plurality of links and pivots, and wherein a plurality of devices selected from the group consisting of optodes and electrodes serve as pivots of the telescopic structures.

7. The positioning cap of claim 6 wherein the web further comprises at least one four-armed tensioning elastic portion, where each arm of the four-armed tensioning elastic portion has a forked end, each forked end attached to a semirigid telescopic structure.

8. The positioning cap of claim 6 wherein the plurality of devices that serve as pivots are electrodes and a plurality of the electrodes are positioned according to the 10-20 pattern.

9. The positioning cap of claim 8 wherein the elastomeric tensioning device is a web, the web having a plurality of elastomeric links that form an outer loop.

10. The positioning cap of claim 9 wherein a plurality of optodes are attached to the outer loop.

11. The positioning cap of claim 10 wherein the web further comprises at least one four-armed tensioning elastic portion, where each arm of the four-armed tensioning elastic portion has a forked end, each forked end attached to a semirigid telescopic structure.

12. The positioning cap of claim 11 wherein an electrode and a plurality of optodes are attached to the four-armed tensioning elastic portion.

13. The positioning cap of claim 12 wherein a plurality of the optodes are coupled to light sources of a diffuse optical imaging system, and a plurality of the optodes are coupled to photosensors of the diffuse optical imaging system, the diffuse optical imaging system configured to perform functional neuroimaging.

14. The positioning cap of claim 12 further comprising at least one optode having a barrel cemented to a jacket of an optical fiber, the optical fiber coupled to a prism, the prism coupled to a graded-index lens, and the graded-index lens coupled to a hemispherical lens.

16. The positioning cap of claim 6 wherein the elastomeric tensioning device is an elastomeric membrane.

15. The positioning cap of claim 15 wherein the barrel of at least one optode is cemented to jackets of a plurality of optical fibers, the plurality of optical fibers coupled to the prism.

17. A optical interface device for optical fibers comprising

a plurality of optodes having a barrel cemented to a jacket of an optical fiber, the optical fiber coupled to a prism, the prism coupled to a graded-index lens oriented at a right angle to the barrel, and the graded-index lens coupled to a hemispherical lens;

an elastomeric web;

wherein the optodes are inserted into holes of the web.

18. The positioning device of claim 17 further comprising at least one electroencephalographic electrode.

19. The positioning device of claims 18 further comprising at least one semirigid telescopic structure attached to the elastomeric web at multiple points and forming at least one loop, the semirigid telescopic structure capable of extension and compression while maintaining even spacing of devices attached thereto.

20. A method of stably and repeatably positioning a plurality of devices selected from the group consisting of electrodes and optodes on a subject'"'"'s head comprising:

attaching semirigid telescopic structures to an elastomeric tensioning device;

attaching a plurality of devices selected from the group consisting of electrodes and optodes to the elastomeric tensioning device;

attaching a plurality of devices selected from the group consisting of electrodes and optodes to the semirigid telescopic structures; and

placing the elastomeric tensioning device on a subject'"'"'s head.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the semirigid telescopic structures comprise a plurality of arms each having a central hole, and wherein the devices comprise a plurality of optodes.