ELECTRODE ARRAY AND METHOD OF PLACEMENT

• US 20140257073A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brainscope SPV LLC
• Original Assignee: Brainscope Company Inc.
• Inventors: Rothman, Neil S., Machon, Lukasz W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/684 Indicating the position of the sensor on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6841 by using templates
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue

Abstract

A headset for detecting brain electrical activity may include a flexible substrate having first and second ends each configured to engage an ear of a subject and dimensioned to fit across the forehead of a subject. The headset may also include a plurality of electrodes disposed on the substrate and configured to contact the subject when the headset is positioned on the subject. First and second electrodes may contact top center and lower center regions of the forehead, respectively, third and fourth electrodes may contact front right and front left regions of the forehead, respectively, fifth and sixth electrodes may contact right side and left side regions of the forehead, respectively, and electrodes included within the securing devices may contact the ear regions. The third and fourth electrodes may be moveable in at least a vertical direction relative to the other electrodes.

Claims

1. A headset for detecting brain electrical activity of a human subject comprising:

a flexible substrate dimensioned to fit a forehead of the subject having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end each includes a securing device configured to engage an ear of the subject to position the substrate across the forehead, and wherein the substrate includes at least one expansible region permitting a distance between the first end and the second end to selectably vary;

a plurality of electrodes disposed on the substrate so that the electrodes contact the subject when the headset is positioned on the subject;

wherein a first electrode is configured to contact a top center region of the forehead, a second electrode is configured to contact a lower center region of the forehead, a third electrode is configured to contact a front right region of the forehead, a fourth electrode is configured to contact a front left region of the forehead, a fifth electrode is configured to contact a right side region of the forehead, and a sixth electrode is configured to contact a left side region of the forehead;

wherein one electrode is included within each securing device and configured to contact an ear region of the subject when the headset is positioned on the subject, and

wherein at least the third electrode and the fourth electrode are movable in at least a vertical direction relative to the other electrodes when the headset is positioned on the subject; and

flexible circuitry in the substrate operably coupled to each electrode.

2. The headset of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes is a grounded electrode.

3. The headset of claim 1, wherein at least the third electrode and the fourth electrode each includes a distance indication gauge.

4. The headset of claim 3, wherein the distance indication gauge includes a tab with a first end connected to the electrode and a second free end extending from the electrode.

5. The headset of claim 4, wherein a distance from the second end of the distance indication gauge to a center of the electrode substantially equals a distance that the electrode is located from an anatomical feature of the subject when the headset is positioned on the forehead of the subject.

6. The headset of claim 5, wherein the anatomical feature is an eyebrow.

7. The headset of claim 5, wherein the distance from the second end of the distance indication gauge to the center of the electrode is substantially equal to 17.7 millimeters.

8. The headset of claim 1, wherein the at least one expansible region includes a flexure or corrugation in the substrate.

9. A method of applying a headset for detecting brain electrical activity to a subject, the method comprising:

applying a first sensor to a left ear region of the subject;

applying a second sensor a right ear region of the subject;

applying a third sensor to an upper center region of the forehead of the subject;

applying a fourth sensor to the forehead of the subject;

applying a fifth sensor to a left frontal region of the forehead of the subject;

applying a sixth sensor to a right frontal region of the forehead of the subject;

applying a seventh sensor to a left side region of a forehead of the subject;

applying an eighth sensor to a right side region of the forehead of the subject,

wherein the headset includes a flexible substrate dimensioned to fit the forehead of the subject having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end each includes a securing device configured to engage an ear of the subject to position the flexible substrate across the forehead, wherein the flexible substrate includes at least one distance gauge configured to indicate the distance from an anatomical region of the subject from which to apply at least one sensor, and wherein the headset includes a connector region; and

connecting the connector region to a processor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the connecting includes wirelessly connecting the connector region to the processor.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the connecting includes physically connecting the connector region to the processor.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the processor is housed in a portable handheld device and is configured to receive data from at least one sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

conducting an impedance check, wherein the portable handheld device transmits at least one signal to each sensor and measures a resulting current from each sensor to identify an impedance value for each sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the portable handheld device includes a display screen for displaying the impedance value for each sensor, the method further comprising:

comparing the identified impedance value for each sensor to a predetermined impedance range to determine whether the impedance value falls within the range; and

adjusting any sensor that has an impedance value that falls outside of the range to cause the impedance value for that sensor to fall within the range.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate includes at least one expansible region permitting a distance between the first end and the second end to selectably vary.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the fourth sensor is applied to a lower center region of the forehead of the subject and the fourth sensor is grounded.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the anatomical region of the subject is an eyebrow.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a first distance gauge includes a tab extending from a lower region of the fifth sensor and a second distance gauge includes a tab extending from a lower region of the sixth sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the fifth sensor and applying the sixth sensor includes adjusting the respective tabs so that a distal region of the tabs sits directly above the eyebrows without touching the eyebrows.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one sensor is removable.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein applying the third sensor includes placing the third sensor below a hairline of the subject.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the anatomical region of the subject is a nasion of the subject.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the distance gauge includes an elongated section extending from the fourth sensor and applying the fourth sensor includes positioning the distance gauge so that a distal portion of the distance gauge is directly above the nasion of the subject.

24. A headset for detecting brain electrical activity comprising:

a flexible substrate dimensioned to fit a forehead of a human subject having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end each includes a securing device configured to engage an ear of the subject to position the flexible substrate across the forehead;

a first sensor disposed on the flexible substrate and configured to contact an upper center region of the forehead when the headset is positioned on the subject;

a second sensor disposed on the flexible substrate and configured to contact a lower center region of the forehead when the headset is positioned on the subject;

a third sensor disposed on the flexible substrate and configured to contact a left frontal region of the forehead when the headset is positioned on the subject, wherein the headset is adjustable such that the position of the third sensor is movable relative to the position of the first sensor;

a fourth sensor disposed on the flexible substrate and configured to contact a right frontal region of the forehead when the headset is positioned on the subject, wherein the headset is adjustable such that the position of the fourth sensor is movable relative to the position of the first sensor;

a fifth sensor disposed on the flexible substrate and configured to contact a left side region of the forehead when the headset is positioned on the subject;

a sixth sensor disposed on the flexible substrate and configured to contact a right side region of the forehead when the headset is positioned on the subject;

a seventh sensor disposed on the first end of the flexible substrate and configured to contact a left ear region of the subject when the headset is positioned on the subject; and

an eighth sensor disposed on the second end of the flexible substrate and configured to contact a right ear region of the subject when the headset is positioned on the subject,

wherein the second sensor, the third sensor, and the fourth sensor each includes an elongated portion having a first end connected to the sensor and a free end extending from the sensor.

25. A method of applying the headset of claim 24, the method comprising:

positioning the free end of the elongated portion of the second sensor at a nasion region of the subject to align the second sensor and the first sensor on the forehead;

adjusting the location of the first sensor so that the first sensor is located on the forehead below a hairline of the subject;

attaching the first sensor and the second sensor to the forehead of the subject;

engaging the first end with a first ear region of the subject;

engaging the second end with a second ear region of the subject;

attaching the seventh sensor to the first ear region and attaching the eighth sensor to the second ear region;

positioning the free end of the elongated portion of the third sensor directly above a first eyebrow of the subject so that the free end does not touch the first eyebrow and attaching the third sensor to the forehead of the subject;

positioning the free end of the elongated portion of the fourth sensor directly above a second eyebrow of the subject so that the free end does not touch the second eyebrow and attaching the fourth sensor to the forehead of the subject;

attaching the fifth sensor to the forehead of the subject; and

attaching the sixth sensor to the forehead of the subject.