What sets this design apart is the unique tooth orientation and shallow penetration depth: they disengage the need for adhesives while minimizing discomfort and avoiding pain fibers. Photochemical etching yields precise, uniform teeth and allows versatile shapes, including blunt-bullet electrodes for curved surfaces. Magnetic quick-disconnect leads and volley-gun deployment streamline clinical workflows and enable coordinate mapping. The ability to house wireless electronics or additional sensors transforms each electrode into a modular, multifunctional platform. This combination of comfort, stability, rapid deployment, and extensibility into both recording and stimulation domains differentiates these electrodes from conventional adhesive or suction-based systems.
Description
These electrodes feature a ring- or cylinder-shaped body studded along its skin-contacting rim with multiple shallow, elongated teeth. A simple twist causes these teeth to penetrate the stratum corneum and slide horizontally beneath it, anchoring the electrode without reaching deeper pain fibers. Fabricated by photochemical etching from a metal strip—optionally gold- or silver-coated for enhanced conductivity—the bodies can take disk, cylindrical, or blunt-bullet forms. Electrical connection is provided by magnetic leads that snap onto a magnetic cap or via embedded metal within a plastic housing, enabling rapid attachment and detachment. Compatibility with handheld or multi-shot “volley-gun” tools equipped with coordinate sensors ensures quick, precise placement. The stable skin interface supports integrated sensors (e.g., blood-oxygen or glucose monitors), wireless electronics, and array configurations such as star patterns, loops, or nets. They serve both biopotential recording (EEG, EMG, EKG) and electrical stimulation (TENS) without adhesives, hair removal, or external wiring.
Applications
Continuous EEG monitoring devices
Wearable EMG prosthesis control
Wireless cardiac telemetry patches
Wireless TENS pain management
Continuous glucose monitoring sensors
Advantages
Secure, adhesive-free attachment without hair removal
Minimized patient discomfort via shallow, horizontal penetration
Rapid, tool-assisted placement and removal using magnetic connectors
Stable interface supporting built-in sensors and wireless modules
Configurable arrays (star patterns, loops, nets) for customized mapping
Multiple shapes (disk, cylinder, blunt-bullet) for varied anatomical sites
Dual functionality for biopotential recording (EEG/EMG/EKG) and electrical stimulation (TENS)
Enables drug delivery and extended physiological monitoring without external wiring
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2013077898A1
