TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the fields of electronic sensor technologies, and their
incorporation into textiles. The present disclosure particularly provides a reusable textile
electrode for biomonitoring, enabling consistent and efficient monitoring of health while
operating in contact with a subject’s body.
10
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Electrocardiography (ECG) measures the electrical activity of the heart. The electric currents
from cardiac muscle contractions produce detectable voltages that reflect depolarization and
repolarization of cells [1]. It captures the potential difference across the skin's surface using
15 conductive electrodes. ECG electrodes can be categorized as wet or dry. Wet electrodes have
an electrolytic gel to enable signal transmission to the electrode. One reusable type is
clamp/bulb electrodes, but they do not adhere well on skin and are typically used for short term
monitoring. Other types of electrodes usually consist of a foam sticker, with an Ag/AgCl metal
contact and a solid gel at the center. The solid gel electrodes provide good skin adhesion and
20 signal quality, but they are disposable and not reusable. The presence of the gel in wet
electrodes show that resistive coupling dominates at the electrode-electrolyte junction [2]. The
conductive gel also hydrates the skin, helping reduce skin-electrode impedance. While wet
electrodes can provide high quality signals for brief recordings, they are not optimal for longterm monitoring because the conductive gel dries out over time, resulting in declining signal
25 quality.
Dry electrodes address wet electrode challenges like long term usability, reusability, and
comfort but their lack of gel leads to impedance issues, drift, and poor repeatability. In dry
electrodes, the lack of electrolytic gel means that there are voids/air pocket at the junction
between the electrode and skin that results in capacitive coupling or high skin impedance. This
30 results in signals with poor signal to noise ratio (SNR) [3].
Textile-based dry electrodes are promising due to the ability to conform to the skin,
breathability, and flexibility. These electrodes can be developed by using smart textiles
obtained by integrating conductive fibers or threads onto fabric through weaving or knitting.
Other existing methods for textile electrodes involve complex and multi-step fabrication
35 methods like electronic printing where conductive inks are deposited on textile substrates,
embroidery, sewing conductive yarn onto textile substrates or growing nanostructures such as
3
5 graphene or CNT on textile. These methods have high production costs and involve
complexity, making them unsuitable for mass production. Particularly, embroidery involves
sewing conductive yarns onto a textile substrate, which requires careful selection of materials
that can withstand the embroidery process without tearing, stretching, or deforming. This
limitation restricts the range of suitable materials for embroidered electrodes. Furthermore, the
10 durability of embroidered electrodes may be compromised by repeated washing, as the
conductive yarns can loosen and detach from the substrate. Screen printing, while widely used
for mass production in the textile industry, requires careful selection and formulation of
conductive inks to prevent mechanical cracking, which can affect the signal being measured
and compromise the electrode's performance and durability.
15 There is therefore a need in the art for efficient dry electrodes that address the aforementioned
drawbacks associated with such electrodes.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
Addressing the aforesaid requirement in the art, provided herein is a textile electrode
20 comprising a conductive textile coated with an insulating elastomeric polymer layer of
thickness ranging from about 300 microns to about 600 microns.
In some embodiments, the conductive textile comprises a knitted or woven fabric coated with
a conductive substance.
In some embodiments, the knitted or woven fabric is a porous stretchable fabric.
25 In some embodiments, the knitted or woven fabric comprises polyamide, elastane, cotton and
viscose or any combination thereof; and/or wherein the conductive substance is selected from
a group comprising metal(s) and conductive carbon-based material(s) or a combination thereof.
In some embodiments, non-limiting examples of the metal(s) include silver, gold, copper and
stainless steel or any combination thereof. The said coating with the conductive substance(s)
30 renders the textile conductive.
In some embodiments, the conductive textile has thickness ranging from about 0.40 mm to
about 0.70 mm.
In some embodiments, the insulating elastomeric polymer comprises polymer(s) selected from
a group comprising silicone(s) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or a combination thereof.
4
5 Without intending to be limited by theory, the insulating elastomeric polymer stabilizes shape
of the conductive textile and enables stable skin adhesion. In some embodiments, the insulating
elastomeric polymer confers reusability/durability to the textile electrode such that the
electrical and mechanical properties of the textile electrode have minimal deterioration after
multiple cycles of washing.
10 Thus, in some embodiments, the textile electrode is a reusable textile electrode that retains its
shape and conductivity after one or more cycles of washing and/or exposure to cleaning agents.
In some embodiments, reduction in SNR after multiple cycles of washing is limited to about
10% to about 25%.
In some embodiments, reduction in SNR after at least 10 cycles of washing is limited to about
15 10% to about 25%.
Further provided herein is a method of fabricating the textile electrode as described above,
comprising:
casting the insulating elastomeric polymer on the conductive textile to obtain an
insulating elastomeric polymer layer of thickness ranging from about 300 microns to
20 about 600 microns over the conductive textile.
In some embodiments, the casting is performed at a temperature of about 20°C to about 25°C.
In some embodiments, the casting step is followed by curing the insulating elastomeric polymer
cast on the conductive textile.
In some embodiments, the curing is performed at a temperature of about 50°C to about 80°C;
25 and/or wherein the curing is performed for about 8 minutes to about 25 minutes.
The present disclosure also provides a device for real-time biofeedback comprising the textile
electrode as described above.
In some embodiments, the device is an electrocardiography (ECG) device for Heart Rate
Variability Monitoring (HRV).
30 In some embodiments, the device further comprises an additional textile electrode for
respiration monitoring to measure Respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP).
In a non-limiting embodiment, the device is in the form of a skin patch.
5
5 Further envisaged herein is an ECG monitoring kit comprising the textile electrode or the
device as claimed as described above. The said kit, in some embodiments, may further
comprise one or more of an instruction manual, a signal acquisition module, signal processing
unit, an ECG evaluation board, wire(s), an accelerometer and soft skin adhesives for additional
support.
10 The present disclosure also provides use of the textile electrode, or the device as described
above in monitoring electrical activity of the heart.

WE CLAIM:
1. A textile electrode comprising a conductive textile coated with an insulating
elastomeric polymer layer of thickness ranging from about 300 microns to about 600
microns.
2. The textile electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductive textile comprises a
10 knitted or woven fabric coated with a conductive substance.
3. The textile electrode as claimed in claim 2, wherein the knitted or woven fabric is a
porous stretchable fabric.
4. The textile electrode as claimed in any of claims 2 and 3, wherein the knitted or woven
fabric comprises polyamide, elastane, cotton and viscose or any combination thereof;
15 and/or wherein the conductive substance is selected from a group comprising metal(s)
and conductive carbon-based material(s) or a combination thereof.
5. The textile electrode as claimed in any of claims 1-4, wherein the conductive textile has
thickness ranging from about 0.40 mm to about 0.70 mm.
6. The textile electrode as claimed in any of claims 1-5, wherein the insulating elastomeric
20 polymer comprises polymer(s) selected from a group comprising silicone(s) and
polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or a combination thereof.
7. The textile electrode as claimed in any of claims 1-6, wherein the insulating elastomeric
polymer stabilizes shape of the conductive textile and enables stable skin adhesion.
8. The textile electrode as claimed in any of claims 1-7, wherein textile electrode is a
25 reusable textile electrode that retains its shape and conductivity after one or more cycles
of washing and/or exposure to cleaning agents.
9. The textile electrode as claimed in claim 8, wherein reduction in SNR after multiple
cycles of washing is limited to about 10% to about 25%.
10. A method of fabricating the textile electrode as claimed in any of claims 1-9,
30 comprising:
casting the insulating elastomeric polymer on the conductive textile to obtain an
insulating elastomeric polymer layer of thickness ranging from about 300 microns to
about 600 microns over the conductive textile.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the casting is performed at a temperature
35 of about 20°C to about 25°C.
12. The method as claimed in any of claims 10 or 11, wherein the casting step is followed
by curing the insulating elastomeric polymer cast on the conductive textile.
32
5 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the curing is performed at a temperature
of about 50°C to about 80°C; and/or wherein the curing is performed for about 8
minutes to about 25 minutes.
14. A device for real-time biofeedback comprising the textile electrode as claimed in any
of claims 1-9.
10 15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the device is an electrocardiography (ECG)
device for Heart Rate Variability Monitoring (HRV).
16. The device as claimed in any of claims 14 and 15, wherein the device further comprises
an additional textile electrode for respiration monitoring to measure Respiratory
inductance plethysmography (RIP).
15 17. The device as claimed in any of claims 14-16, wherein the device is in the form of a
skin patch.
18. An ECG monitoring kit comprising the textile electrode as claimed in any of claims 1-
9 or the device as claimed in any of claims 14-17.
19. The ECG monitoring kit as claimed in claim 18, further comprising one or more of an
20 instruction manual, a signal acquisition module, signal processing unit, an ECG
evaluation board, an accelerometer, wire(s) and soft skin adhesives for additional
support.
20. Use of the textile electrode as claimed in any of claims 1-9 or the device as claimed in
any of claims 14-17 in monitoring electrical activity of the heart.