US 11,771,334 B1
Methods and devices for aligning miniaturized impedance sensors in wearable devices
Robert Davis, Provo, UT (US); Nick Morrill, Provo, UT (US); and David Miller, Morgan, UT (US)
Assigned to Brigham Young University, Provo, UT (US)
Filed by Brigham Young University, Provo, UT (US)
Filed on Oct. 30, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/669,409.
Int. Cl. A61B 5/24 (2021.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/024 (2006.01); A61B 5/0536 (2021.01); A61N 1/04 (2006.01); A61B 5/282 (2021.01)
CPC A61B 5/02438 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0536 (2013.01); A61B 5/282 (2021.01); A61B 5/6831 (2013.01); A61N 1/0476 (2013.01); A61N 1/0492 (2013.01); A61B 2562/046 (2013.01); A61B 2562/164 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device, comprising:
a flexible band designed to flex into a curvilinear shape, the flexible band comprising a shape, size, and flexibility designed for attaching the flexible band to a wrist of a user, wherein the wrist includes a dermal layer along an underside of the wrist and a muscular-walled tube within the wrist adjacent to the dermal layer along the underside of the wrist;
a miniaturized impedance sensor embedded in the flexible band and positioned in the flexible band so that a surface of the miniaturized impedance sensor is pressed against a portion of the underside of the wrist adjacent to the muscular-walled tube as the user wears the flexible band, the miniaturized impedance sensor comprising:
an array of miniaturized electrodes, the array of miniaturized electrodes positioned in the flexible band to extend along the dermal layer from a first side of the muscular-walled tube to a second side of the muscular-walled tube as the user wears the flexible band, and the array of miniaturized electrodes comprising:
an array of miniaturized electrode pillars arranged in rows and columns; wherein:
each row and column of the array of miniaturized electrode pillars comprises at least two individual electrode pillars, and
the at least two individual electrode pillars are electrically isolated from each other at the surface of the miniaturized impedance sensor;
the array of miniaturized electrodes further comprising a first miniaturized electrode and a second miniaturized electrode, wherein:
the first miniaturized electrode, located within the array of miniaturized electrodes, or the second miniaturized electrode, located within the array of miniaturized electrodes, is formed of a carbon-infiltrated carbon nanotube forest, wherein the carbon-infiltrated carbon nanotube forest comprises a bundle of carbon nanotubes aligned approximately parallel to each other and infiltrated with a bolstering material; and
the first miniaturized electrode and the second miniaturized electrode is configured to transmit an electrical signal through the muscular-walled tube as the user wears the flexible band, wherein the electrical signal travels through the muscular-walled tube approximately parallel to a diameter of the muscular-walled tube.