Multifunctional biopatch for wireless monitoring of health conditions and methods thereof
Stretchable condition-monitoring biopatch devices are disclosed. The stretchable condition-monitoring biopatches may include an elastomer layer. The elastomer layer may adhere to the skin without use of an adhesive. The devices described herein may include stretchable electrodes configured to sense physiological potentials from the patient or subject. The device may include a stretchable circuit board. The stretchable electrodes may be in electrical communication with the stretchable circuit board via stretchable circuits. Methods for providing machine-learning neural networks are disclosed. These methods may include convolution neural networks that incorporate inception-type convolution units that may classify and diagnose conditions based on signals detected by the condition-monitoring biopatches.
1 . A condition-monitoring device comprising:
an elastomer layer comprising a first side configured for conformal contact with a layer of skin and a second side, wherein the elastomer layer has a work of adhesion value from about 0.25 N/m to about 0.90 N/m;
a first electrode positioned proximate the first side of the elastomer layer, the first electrode comprising one or more electrode units wherein the one or more electrode units comprises at least one of a positive electrode, negative electrode, or ground electrode, and wherein one or more electrode-unit circuits electrically interconnect the one or more electrode units allowing the one or more electrode units to stretch with the elastomer layer;
a stretchable circuit board positioned proximate the second side of the elastomer layer and in electrical communication with the first electrode; and a microcontroller in electrical communication with the stretchable circuit board and the first electrode;
a fluid layer constrained within the elastomer layer and disposed between the first electrode and the stretchable circuit board, the fluid layer configured to decouple the first electrode from the stretchable circuit board.
2 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the stretchable circuit board and the microcontroller are encapsulated within the elastomer layer.
3 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein:
a portion of the first electrode is disposed within the elastomer layer and another portion of the first electrode extends from the elastomer layer to a position outside of the elastomer layer;
the first electrode is configured to sense physiological potentials from a wearer of the condition-monitoring device and produce a voltage; and
at least a portion of the stretchable circuit board is disposed within the elastomer layer.
4 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 1 further comprising:
a first stretchable circuit configured to:
provide electrical communication between the first electrode and the stretchable circuit board; and
stretch with the elastomer layer;
a second electrode positioned proximate the first side of the elastomer layer and extending at least partially from the elastomer layer to a position outside of the elastomer layer; and
a second stretchable circuit configured to:
connect the second electrode to the stretchable circuit board; and
stretch with the elastomer layer;
wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive a voltage from the first electrode via the first stretchable circuit.
5 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein properties of the elastomer layer including at least a work of adhesion value and an elastic modulus provide, at least in part, for the conformal contact.
6 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 1 further comprising a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device in electrical communication with the microcontroller.
7 . A condition-monitoring device comprising:
an elastomer layer comprising a first side configured for conformal contact with a layer of skin and a second side, wherein the elastomer layer has a work of adhesion value from about 0.25 N/m to about 0.90 N/m;
a first electrode positioned proximate the first side of the elastomer layer, the first electrode comprising one or more electrode units wherein the one or more electrode units comprises at least one of a positive electrode, negative electrode, or ground electrode, and wherein one or more electrode-unit circuits electrically interconnect the one or more electrode units allowing the one or more electrode units to stretch with the elastomer layer;
a stretchable circuit board positioned proximate the second side of the elastomer layer and in electrical communication with the first electrode;
a fluid layer constrained within the elastomer layer and disposed between the first electrode and the stretchable circuit board, the fluid layer for decoupling configured to decouple the first electrode from the stretchable circuit board and allowing the first electrode to move more freely with respect to the stretchable circuit board;
a microcontroller in electrical communication with the stretchable circuit board and the first electrode; and
a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device in electrical communication with the microcontroller;
wherein the first side of the elastomer layer is configured for the conformal contact, to adhere to the layer of skin without an adhesive when an adhesion energy of the elastomer layer is greater than a sum of an elastic energy of the skin and a bending energy of the first electrode; and
wherein:
the MEMS device is disposed on the stretchable circuit board; and
the stretchable circuit board, the microcontroller, and the MEMS device are encapsulated within the elastomer layer.
8 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 7 further comprising an antenna configured to transmit a wireless signal from the microcontroller to a computing device.
9 . A condition-monitoring device comprising:
an elastomer layer having a first side configured for adhesive-free, conformal contact with a layer of skin and a second side, wherein the elastomer layer has a work of adhesion value from about 0.25 N/m to about 0.90 N/m;
a positive electrode assembly comprising a first set of electrode units, wherein at least one of the electrode units of the first set is a positive electrode positioned proximate the first side of the elastomer layer, wherein one or more electrode-unit circuits electrically interconnect the first set of electrode units allowing the first set of electrode units to stretch with the elastomer layer;
a first set of stretchable circuits in electrical communication with the first set of electrode units;
a negative electrode assembly comprising a second set of electrode units, wherein at least one of the electrode units of the second set is a negative electrode positioned proximate the first side of the elastomer layer, wherein one or more electrode-unit circuits electrically interconnect the second set of electrode units allowing the second set of electrode units to stretch with the elastomer layer;
a second set of stretchable circuits in electrical communication with the second set of electrode units;
a stretchable circuit board disposed at least partially within the elastomer layer and is positioned proximate the second side of the elastomer layer, and the stretchable circuit board is in electrical communication with the positive and negative electrodes;
a fluid layer constrained within the elastomer layer and disposed between (i) the positive electrode assembly and the negative electrode assembly and (ii) the stretchable circuit board and configured for decoupling (a) the positive electrode assembly and the negative electrode assembly from (b) the stretchable circuit board;
a microcontroller electrically connected to the stretchable circuit board and in electrical communication with the positive and negative electrodes;
a third stretchable circuit configured to provide electrical communication between the positive electrode and the stretchable circuit board; and
a fourth stretchable circuit configured to provide electrical communication between the negative electrode and the stretchable circuit board;
wherein the first set of stretchable circuits, the second set of stretchable circuits, the third stretchable circuit, and the fourth stretchable circuit are configured to stretch with the elastomer layer.
10 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 9 , wherein the stretchable circuit board is positioned proximate the second side of the elastomer layer; and
wherein the stretchable circuit board and the microcontroller are encapsulated within the elastomer layer.
11 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 9 , wherein the first side of the elastomer layer is configured for the adhesive-free, conformal contact with the layer of skin based at least in part on one or more properties of the elastomer layer.
12 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein another one of the one or more properties of the elastomer layer is an elastic modulus.
13 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the elastomer layer is from 200 μm to 2 mm.
14 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 9 further comprising a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device in electrical communication with the microcontroller;
wherein the MEMS device comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a thermistor.
15 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 14 , wherein:
the MEMS device is disposed on the stretchable circuit board; and
the stretchable circuit board, the microcontroller, and the MEMS device are encapsulated within the elastomer layer.
16 . The condition-monitoring device of claim 9 further comprising an antenna configured to transmit a wireless signal from the microcontroller to a computing device;
wherein the wireless signal comprises data associated with physiological potentials.
17 . A method for monitoring health conditions of a wearer of the condition-monitoring device of claim 1 comprising:
placing the condition-monitoring device of claim 1 on a wearer, wherein the first side of the elastomer layer is in conformal contact with the skin of the wearer; and
receiving, at a computing device, an output signal from the microcontroller, wherein the output signal comprises data associated with physiological potentials sensed by the first electrode.
18 . The method for monitoring health conditions of claim 17 further comprising:
receiving, at the computing device, labeled input data comprising physiological input data and diagnosis output data;
applying, using the computing device, a convolution neural network model to the labeled input data to generate a first set of rules associated with the physiological input data and the diagnosis output data;
applying, using the computing device, the convolution neural network model to the output signal from the microcontroller to generate a second set of rules associated with the output signal from the microcontroller; and
calculating, using the computing device, a diagnosis based on a comparison of the first set of rules and the second set of rules.
19 . A method of manufacturing the condition-monitoring device of claim 1 comprising:
preparing the first electrode;
preparing the stretchable circuit board;
transferring the first electrode and the stretchable circuit board to the elastomer layer; and
electrically communicating the microcontroller with the stretchable circuit board and the first electrode;
wherein preparing the first electrode comprises:
coating a first silicon wafer with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to create a first donor substrate;
coating the first donor substrate with a first polyimide layer;
depositing a layer of chromium;
depositing a layer of gold;
patterning an electrode design on the first donor substrate via photolithography;
coating the first donor substrate with a second polyimide layer;
etching the second polyimide layer to expose the electrode design; and
removing the first electrode from the first donor substrate; and
wherein preparing the stretchable circuit board comprises:
coating a second silicon wafer with PDMS to create a second donor substrate;
coating the second donor substrate with a third polyimide layer;
depositing a first layer of conductive material;
patterning a circuit design on the second donor substrate via photolithography;
coating the second donor substrate with a fourth polyimide layer;
etching the fourth polyimide layer via reactive ion etching;
depositing a second layer of conductive material;
coating the second donor substrate with a fifth polyimide layer;
exposing the circuit design by patterning the fifth polyimide layer via photolithography; and
removing the stretchable circuit board from the second donor substrate.