WEARABLE APPARATUS FOR BRAIN SENSORS

• US 20160367189A1
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InteraXon Inc.
• Original Assignee: InteraXon Inc.
• Inventors: MACKENZIE, SAMUEL THOMAS, AIMONE, CHRISTOPHER ALLEN, COLEMAN, TREVOR, GARTEN, ARIEL STEPHANIE
• Granted Patent: US 9,867,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7203 for noise prevention, reduction or removal

Abstract

A wearable apparatus for wearing on a head of a user, the apparatus has a band assembly comprising an outer band member comprising outer band ends joined by a curved outer band portion of a curve generally shaped to correspond to the user'"'"'s forehead; a flexible inner band member comprising inner band ends joined by a curved inner band portion of a curve generally shaped to correspond to the user'"'"'s forehead, the inner band member is attached to the outer band member at least by each inner band end respectively attached to a respective one of the outer band ends; at least one brainwave sensor disposed inwardly along the curved inner band portion to provide a flexible conductive surface; and a deformable attachment that connects the flexible inner band member to the outer band, the deformable attachment allowing the inner band to conform to the user'"'"'s forehead shape, the deformable attachment having a biasing component to urge the at the at least one brainwave sensor towards the user'"'"'s forehead when worn by the user.

Claims

1. A wearable apparatus for wearing on a head of a user, the apparatus comprising:

a band assembly comprising;

an outer band member comprising outer band ends joined by a curved outer band portion of a curve generally shaped to correspond to the user'"'"'s forehead;

a flexible inner band member comprising inner band ends joined by a curved inner band portion of a curve generally shaped to correspond to the user'"'"'s forehead, the inner band member is attached to the outer band member at least by each inner band end respectively attached to a respective one of the outer band ends;

at least one brainwave sensor disposed inwardly along the curved inner band portion to provide a flexible conductive surface; and

a deformable attachment that connects the flexible inner band member to the outer band, the deformable attachment allowing the inner band to conform to the user'"'"'s forehead shape, the deformable attachment having a biasing component to urge the at the at least one brainwave sensor towards the user'"'"'s forehead when worn by the user.

2. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deformable attachment comprises a rubber spring strip that compresses along its length when the wearable apparatus is pulled tight on the user'"'"'s forehead.

3. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deformable attachment comprises at least one spring selected from the group consisting of a plastic leaf spring, a rubber leaf spring, a metal leaf spring, a plastic metal coil spring, a rubber metal coil spring, and a metal coil spring.

4. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deformable attachment comprises foam.

5. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the biasing component is disposed on the curved inner band portion at least at the at least one brainwave sensor.

6. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deformable attachment comprises a plurality of springs, wherein arrangement of the plurality of springs is such that when placed on the head the spring attachment provides pressure at the at least one brainwave sensor to ensure good contact with the user'"'"'s head when in use.

7. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least five brainwave sensors comprising an outer brainwave sensor and a central brainwave sensor, wherein the deformable attachment comprises a spring arranged at least at each of the outer brainwave sensors and at the central brainwave sensor.

8. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least five brainwave sensors comprising a central brainwave sensor providing a reference measurement for other brainwave measurements, at least two brainwave sensors for providing a Driven Right Leg measurement to reduce noise of the reference measurement, at least two outer brainwave sensors for providing EEG channel measurements at FP1 and FP2 locations, and at least two earpiece brainwave sensors for providing EEG channel measurements at TP9 and TP12 locations.

9. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one earpiece shaped to secure the wearable apparatus to the user when in use, wherein the at least one earpiece comprises a conductive coating to provide at least one of the at least one brainwave sensors.

10. The wearable apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one earpiece is removable from the wearable apparatus.

11. The wearable apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least removable one earpiece comprises a mushroom head with an attachment device that mates with a corresponding attachment device of the wearable apparatus.

12. The wearable apparatus of claim 9, further comprising at least one adjustable component to extend or retract in relation to the at least one earpiece to extend or retract that length of the band assembly.

13. The wearable apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one earpiece comprises a rubber earpiece having a mechanical holding on the back to tighten the band assembly.

14. The wearable apparatus of claim 9, wherein the earpiece is rubber and deformable.

15. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the band assembly is flexible, stretchable and twists to adjust the curve of the curved outer band portion and the curve of the curved inner band portion.

17. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer band member comprises a rigid member.

18. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of brainwave sensors are configured as compressible key pad elements, each key pad element having a conductive coating that connects to a flexible circuit.

19. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of brainwave sensors has a conductive coating that connects to a flexible circuit.

20. The wearable apparatus of claim 19, wherein the conductive coating connects to the flexible circuit via a conductive rivet.

21. The wearable apparatus of claim 19, wherein the conductive coating connects to the flexible circuit using mechanical pressure between the sensor and the flexible circuit.

22. The wearable apparatus of claim 19, wherein the conductive coating connects to the flexible circuit using a hydrogel that has been hydrated with a conductive solution.

23. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner band member and the outer band member provide a stretch headband, wherein the plurality of brainwave sensors are configured using conductive polymers.

24. The wearable apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a semi-rigid attachment with at least one brainwave sensor attachable to the headband at a plurality of locations.

16. The wearable apparatus of clam 9, further comprising a flexible conductive ink coating on the at least one earpiece to provide at least one of the at least one brainwave sensors.

25. A method for connecting silver ink to flexible PCB traces of a flexible wearable apparatus to provide a conductive flexible surface comprising:

creating a hatched pattern of copper on a flexible surface;

creating holes in a polyamide coverlay that correspond to the copper hatched pattern;

gold plating the hatched pattern of copper; and

printing silver ink onto the flexible surface so that adhesion between the polyimide coverlay and the silver ink keeps the silver ink on the flexible surface and the cohesive strength of the silver ink keeps it in contact with the gold plated copper.