PRELIMINARY TESTING OF FLEXIBLE ELECTRODES FOR BIOSIGNAL MEASUREMENT: ABRASION RESISTANCE

With growing interest in monitoring the health status of a human has raised demands on measuring systems and devices. It is important to develop monitoring system with user friendly and comfortable interface. This applies not only to setup and control but also to wearing and manipulation. Therefore, the replacement of conventional metal, rubber and selfadhesive electrodes by electrodes with thin-film conductive layer is desirable. These electrodes combine good electrical properties altogether with comfortable wearability, ease of manipulation and low-cost fabrication. The indicated factors allow these electrodes to be used in commercial measuring systems and devices. Their applicability in long term measurements is subject to meeting additional requirements, such as chemical and mechanical resistance. Abrasion caused by rubbing the human skin during standard measurements might affect the functionality of the electrode. Four types of electrodes based on Au, ITO, Graphite filled polymer and PEDOT:PSS underwent series of testing of their abrasion resistance. A surface with specific roughness and pressure force was used. A change in amplitude of testing ECG signal was measured as a function of number of abrasion cycles for all electrodes