Aleesha Livingston L
AP/ECE/BIoE
o It is used to pick up the electrical signals of the body
o A pair of electrodes plays a role of transducer
o It is used for measuring ECG,EEG,EMG
o Half Cell Potential
o The voltage development at an electrode – electrolyte interface
o In metal solution interface, an electrode potential results from two processes.
o The passage of ions from metal into solution
o The combination of metallic ions in solution with electrons in metal to from atoms of metal
o Electrode Electrolyte Interface
o Represent the body fluid containing ions
o The net current that crosses the interface consist of Electrons, Anions and Cations
o e
o Perfectly Polarized Electrodes
o Electrodes in which no net transfer of charge occurs across the metal electrolyte
interface
o Perfectly Non Polarized Electrodes
o Electrodes in which infinite exchange of charge is possible across the metal
electrolyte interface
o Artifact
o The electrode potential is not a stable and its variations constitute a source of
variable noise voltage
o Electrode Material
o The electrode, electrode paste and body fluids can produce a battery like action causing
ions to accumulate on the electrodes.
o Purpose of Electrode paste
o The outer skin of the body is highly non- conductive
o The skin should be washed and rubbed to remove some of the outer cells.
o coated with an electrically conductive paste
o The electrode paste decreases the impedance of contact and also reduces the artifacts
o Micro Electrodes
o Metal Electrode
o Micro Pipet Electrode
o Surface Electrodes
o Metal Plate Electrodes
o Metal Disk Electrode
o Disposable foam pad electrode(Adhesive Tape Electrode)
o Suction Cup Electrode (Welsh Cup Electrodes)
o Multi point Electrodes
o Floating Electrodes
o Ear Clip and Scalp Electrode
o Needle and Depth Electrodes
It is a type of electrode which is
used to measure the potential near or
within cell.
o Intra cellular electrodes
o Smaller dimension (0.5 to 5 microns)
o Types:
o Metal Micro Electrode
o Non metallic (Micropipet)
o Formed by electrolytically etching the tip of fine Tungsten or stainless steel
o Electro pointing
o Coated with insulating material
o Chloriding the tip : reduce the impedance
EA – metal electrode-electrolyte potential
at the microelectrode tip
EB – Reference electrode – electrolyte
potential
EC – variable cell membrane potential
RA – resistance of connecting wire
RB – resistance of wire connected to
reference electrode
o Impedance of microelectrode is inversely proportional to the area of the tip &
frequency.
o Zin of the amplifier should be high : if not, behaves like a high pass filter
o 1 micro meter
o Filled with electrolyte 3 M KCL
EA – metal electrode-electrolyte potential at the
microelectrode tip
EB – Reference electrode – electrolyte potential
EC – variable cell membrane potential
ED – potential existing at the tip due to different
electrolytes present in the pipet and the cell
RA – resistance of connecting wire
RB – resistance of wire connected to reference
electrode
RT – resistance of electrolyte filled
A small device that is attached to the
skin to measure electrical activity in the
tissue under it.
o It measures the potential available from the surface of the skin.
o It senses the signal from heart, brain and nerves.
o Larger surface electrodes sense the ECG signals.
o Smaller surface electrodes sense the EMG and EEG signals.
o ECG measurement technique
o Flat Metal plate and it is bent into cylindrical segment
o Made of nickel, nickel silver or German silver
o Surface is covered with electrolyte paste.
o Very sensitive, leading to measurement errors.
o Application on four limbs so called limb electrodes.
o Disadvantages :
o The electrode slippage
o Plate displacement
o Applied with surgical tape
o Lead wire welded to the back surface
o Coated with electrolyte gel
o Silver Chloride is used as electrolyte
o Popular for recording EMG or EEG
o Low cost
o Pressure of electrode against the skin squeezes out the electrode paste.
o It has a light weight metallic screen.
o They have a pad at behind for placing electrode paste.
o This adhesive backing hold the electrode on place and tight.
o It helps to avoid evaporation of electrolyte present in the electrode paste.
o Suction Cup Electrodes or Welsh Cup Electrodes
o To measure ECG
o It suits well to attach electrodes on flat surface of body and on soft tissue regions.
o They have a good contact surface.
o Physically they are large but the skin contacts only the electrode rim.
o It has high contact impedance.
o They have a plastic syringe barrel, suction tube and cables.
o Due to infection & cleaning procedures, now its not used.
o It is an electrode setup for ECG measurements.
o It has more than 1000 active contact points.
o It helps to establish low resistance contact with the human.
o Under any environmental condition, doctors can use multipoint electrode.
o Motion artifact occurs due to the motion at the interface between electrode
and electrolyte.
o The interface gets stabilized using Floating electrodes.
o The floating electrodes do not contact the human subject directly.
o They contact the subject via electrolytic paste or jelly.
o The advantage of this type is the mechanical stability.
o In the measurement of EEG, ear clip electrodes are used.
o Scalp electrodes provide EEG signals easily when placed on bare head.
o in 10 – 20 electrode system EEG measurement scalp electrodes are used.
o This type avoids measurement errors.
o During labor, fetal scalp electrode monitors baby’s heartbeat while still
inside uterus.
Needle Electrode is a fine wire through which
electrical current may flow when attached to a power
source; used to carry high frequency electrical currents.
Depth electrodes are for monitoring /mapping the
subsurface levels of the brain for the surgical treatment of
epilepsy.
o When electrode gets closer to the bioelectric generator, it penetrates
into the skin.
o So, the electrode should be sharp for penetration to obtain and record
the bioelectric events.
o It studies the electrical activity of the neurons in the surface of the brain.
o It consists of bundle of Teflon insulated platinum and iridium alloy wires.
o For easy insertion, the end of supporting wire is round shaped.
o Number of individual electrodes forms the electrode array or bundle.
o End of each individual wires has the individual electrode.
o Applications of Depth Electrodes
o To inject medicines into the brain.
o To measure oxygen tension.
o It records the peripheral nerve action potential.
o It resembles a medicinal syringe.
o At one end a short insulated wire is bent.
o Bent portion passes through the lumen of the needle.
o This setup goes into the muscle.
o Now the needle is withdrawn.
o The bent wire remains inside the muscle.
o Used in measurement of EEG and EMG signals.
o Two type of needle electrodes namely
o Mono-polar Electrode
o Bi – polar Electrode
