Flexible, Conductive Fabric-Backed, Microneedle Electrodes for Electrophysiological Monitoring

Microneedle-based electrodes have attracted significant attention due to their potential applications in high-quality, long-term electrophysiological monitoring. In this study, micromoulding technology is used to develop a flexible, conductive fabric microneedle (CF–MN) electrode by bonding a conductive textile to polymeric microneedle arrays. The resulting electrode conforms to the curved surfaces of the body, and the use of a conductive textile backing reduces metallization time and costs by 50% over double-sided dry electrodes. The electrode-skin impedance of the CF–MN electrodes is significantly lower than that of gel electrodes over a wide frequency range, and tests on healthy volunteers, both at rest and under a range of ambulatory conditions, showed that the electrodes are capable of acquiring electrocardiography (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) signals that have a comparable kurtosis and signal-to-noise ratio to those recorded using conventional electrodes, but without the need for skin preparation or the use of a wet gel. The biomechanical properties of the electrode are also characterized. This is the first demonstration of CF–MN electrodes that can ultimately be integrated into clothing, which in turn can facilitate personalized cardiac health management by enabling continuous, long-term ECG/EMG monitoring during daily activities.