Brain biofeedback device with radially adjustable electrodes

• US 9,031,631 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• 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, Ng, Shu To, Yu, Bun, Ho, Newmen Sze Kit, Hu, Xiaoling, Tam, Robert Wai Man
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Application Number:
  US13/754,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20140213874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 600/383, 600/544, 600/545
• 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;

a plurality of mechanical fasteners connecting the head-mountable device sections;

wherein the head-mountable device sections can be bent upward and downward by the mechanical fasteners during application and removal of the 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; and

a damper portion integral of at least one of the resilient sleeves and configured to be deformable for maintaining the orientation of the individual electrode relative to the scalp portion beneath the individual 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 damper portion is a semicircular damper portion.

4. The head-mountable device according to claim 1 further comprising a pre-amplifier adjacent to one or more of the individual electrodes in the electrode array.

5. The head-mountable device according to claim 4 wherein the pre-amplifier is a single unit or an array.

6. The head-mountable device according to claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary head-mountable segment including reference electrodes alignable with an ear reference location, wherein the auxiliary head-mountable segment is attached to at least one of the head-mountable device sections.

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