Abstract
The bioelectrodes commonly attached to the human skin for non—invasive measurements, especially of the electrographic potential sequences of EGG, EEG, ERG, EOG, etc. are usually designed around the wishful thinking that there is some “correct” average skin potential that, if properly measured, will be essentially non-polarizable, immune to motion and force artifacts from the electrode, will not drift appreciably with time and will be attractively low in transcutaneous impedance into the electrode.
Quite good electrodes have arisen from this approach, aided by some trial and
error improvements, but perhaps it is time to apply the old principle that one
researcher's noise is another's signal and to acknowledge that the skin represents
a complicated patchwork of electrically different, active and passive elements.
Measurement of the shape, size, electrical characteristics and distribution
of these three-dimensional, not necessarily cubic, “Boxel” elements equivalent
to the two-dimensional Pixels dear to CRO raster and graphics designers for
CAD/CAM and Robotics, may lead us to distinctly new electrode designs, not necessarily
of low impedance and often electronically active. Identification of some Biophysical
bases of electro-acupuncture points and Kirlean photographic patterns may result
as well. Active electrodes and array electrodes certainly constitute a part
of the development that has much exploratory work yet to be done. A current
progress report and a discussion of potential applicability of variously designed
electrodes will be offered.
