US 11,839,491 B2
Shape-memory in-ear biosensor for monitoring physiological signals
Andres Villada, Boulder, CO (US); Dana Stamo, Boulder, CO (US); Zhanan Zou, Boulder, CO (US); and Jianliang Xiao, Louisville, CO (US)
Assigned to The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate, Denver, CO (US)
Filed by The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate, Denver, CO (US)
Filed on Oct. 7, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/064,723.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/911,826, filed on Oct. 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0100509 A1, Apr. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/24 (2021.01)
CPC A61B 5/6817 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0006 (2013.01); A61B 5/24 (2021.01); A61B 2562/125 (2013.01); A61B 2562/16 (2013.01); A61B 2562/227 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A biosensor for detecting physiological signals, the biosensor comprising:
an earpiece formed of a material comprising at least one of: a shape memory material and a temperature-dependent phase transition material;
wherein the earpiece comprises a folded state produced by folding the material when heated above a glass transition temperature of the material and maintains the folded state when cooled to below the glass transition temperature of the material, and
wherein, when inserted into an ear canal of a user, the material of the earpiece in the folded state is heated by the ear canal above the glass transition temperature of the material and partially unfolds to conform with a shape of the ear canal;
a set of flexible conductive electrodes located on an outer surface of the earpiece;
a set of wires electrically connected to the set of flexible conductive electrodes; and
an elastomer overlaid onto the set of flexible conductive electrodes.