Media.Player

Non-Contact Biopotential Sensor

Detailed Technology Description

This invention teaches a low-noise sensor and electronic circuit to measure electrical voltage signals generated by the body without direct contact with the body. The currently available technologies for similar sensors require electrical contact to the skin either with a conductive gel or abrasive skin preparation. This is a non-contact sensor which operates by capacitive coupling and is capable of measuring EEG signals through hair or ECG signals through clothing. In this invention, the circuit senses, amplifies, and acquires the signal from the body. This invention uses a switching device (a transistor or relay) to briefly close a shunting path from the sensing node to the ground potential. The switching mechanism of the circuit offers the advantage of injecting less circuit noise into the critical sensing mode. The target applications are for EEG signals for use in brain-computer interface, ECG for heart monitoring, and EMG for recording muscle activity.

Supplementary Information

Patent Number: US8694084B2
Application Number: US2010744921A
Inventor: Sullivan, Thomas J. | Cauwenberghs, Gert | Deiss, Stephen R.
Priority Date: 28 Nov 2007
Priority Number: US8694084B2
Application Date: 25 Oct 2010
Publication Date: 8 Apr 2014
IPC Current: A61B000504
US Class: 600522 | 20440302 | 324658
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: Non-contact biopotential sensor
Usefulness: Non-contact biopotential sensor
Summary: Non-contact capacitive sensor e.g. electroencephalographic (EEG) sensor, electrocardiography (ECG) sensor and electromyography (EMG) sensor used for measuring electric field emanating from brain and heart.
Novelty: Non-contact capacitive sensor used for measuring electric field emanating from e.g. brain, has switching circuit that non-continuously closes shunting path from sensing node to reference voltage for resetting voltage at sensing node

Industry

Biomedical

Sub Category

Medical Device

Application No.

8694084

Others

State Of Development

A prototype device has been made and tested.

Tech ID/UC Case

20578/2008-143-0

Related Cases

2008-143-0

*Abstract

None

*IP Issue Date

Apr 8, 2014

*Principal Investigator

Name: Gert Cauwenberghs

Department:

Name: Stephen Deiss

Department:

Name: Thomas Sullivan

Department:

Country/Region

USA