BRAIN BIOFEEDBACK DEVICE WITH RADIALLY ADJUSTABLE ELECTRODES

• US 20140213874A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Original Assignee: Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Inventors: TONG, Kai Yu, PANG, Peter Man Kit, YU, Bun, HO, Newmen Sze Kit, HU, Xiaoling, TAM, Robert Wai Man, NG, Shu To
• Granted Patent: US 9,031,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles

Abstract

A head-mountable EEG electrode-containing device is provided based on radially adjustable electrodes to fit the wearer'"'"'s unique head size and shape. The head-mountable device with an electrode array positioned therein includes multiple head-mountable device sections that are interconnected by mechanical fasteners to facilitate sizing and positioning of the head-mountable device. An array of resilient sleeves is positioned within each head-mountable device section. Each resilient sleeve houses an individual electrode and is deformable for self-orienting. The deformation of the sleeve is such that a central axis passing through the individual electrode housed within the resilient sleeve is maintained in a position approximately normal to a plane tangential to a scalp portion positioned beneath that electrode.

Claims

1. A head-mountable device including an electrode array for measuring bioelectrical signals generated by a cerebral cortex of a brain configured such that individual electrodes are radially adjustable for individual variations in head size and shape comprising:

a plurality of head-mountable device sections can be bent upward and downward by mechanical fasteners during application and removal of device such that the device sections are moveable relative to one another;

an array of resilient sleeves within each head-mountable device section, each sleeve housing an individual electrode, the resilient sleeve being deformable for self-orienting such that a central axis passing through the individual electrode housed within the resilient sleeve is maintained in a position approximately normal to a plane tangential to a scalp portion positioned beneath the electrode.

2. The head-mountable device according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical fasteners comprise one or more hinge joints.

3. The head-mountable device according to claim 1 wherein the resilient sleeve further comprises a deformable semicircular damping portion for maintaining electrode orientation relative to the scalp portion beneath the electrode.

4. The head-mountable device according to claim 1 further comprising a visual indicator to display information regarding an impedance value, an EEG value, or a control parameter.

5. The head-mountable device according to claim 1 further wherein the visual indicator comprises one or more light-emitting diodes.

6. The head-mountable device according to claim 1 further comprising a pre-amplifier adjacent to the electrode.

7. The head-mountable device according to claim 6 wherein the pre-amplifier is a single unit or an array.

8. The head-mountable device according to claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary head-mountable segment including reference electrodes alignable with an ear reference location.

9. The head-mountable device according to claim 1 further comprising an annular groove positioned within the resilient sleeve for holding electrode legs.

10. A system for neuro-rehabilitation involving brain biofeedback comprising the head-mountable device of claim 1.