Biopotential electrodes based on hydrogel

Skin surface electrodes are utilized to obtain the biopotential signals (such as ECG and EEG) from the human body. Traditionally, before applying electrodes, it is required to prepare the skin, including of abrasion the outmost layer and application of conductive gel between the electrode and skin. However, these procedures are time-consuming and the conductive gel tends to dry out over time. In this paper, we present a novel biopotential electrode using hydrogel. This electrode is small, flexible, and easy to apply without skin treatment. By incorporation of cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CTAC) into the hydrogel, the skin impedance can be effectively reduced.