M. Frydrysiak i dr. Mehatronička linija za aktiviranje i ispitivanje tiskanih elektroda Tehnički vjesnik 23, 4(2016), 1003-1010 1003 ISSN 1330-3651 (Print), ISSN 1848-6339 (Online) DOI: 10.17559/TV-20140926102807 MECHATRONIC LINE FOR ACTIVATION AND TESTING OF PRINTED ELECTRODES Michal Frydrysiak, Janusz Zieba, Lukasz Tesiorowski Original scientific paper The paper describes the technology and a mechatronic device for the making and validation of textile electrodes. For making the electrodes, the digital printing method with electroconductive inks was used. The mechatronic device is a fragment of the technological line operating with a digital printer. The technological line consists of four modules designed for the printing, validation, activation and verification of the electroconductive properties of the electrodes. The first module is an intelligent camera with software designed for the analysis of the geometric shape of the electrode. The second module is a heating system for the thermal process of activation of electroconductive properties. The third module is used for checking the electroconductive properties using a multi-electrode measuring head. This type of textile electrodes designed for current muscular electrostimulation is an example of textronic products having application in rehabilitation of human. Keywords: electrostimulation of the muscles; ink; printed; surface resistance; textile electrodes Mehatronička linija za aktiviranje i ispitivanje tiskanih elektroda Izvorni znanstveni članak U radu se opisuje tehnologija i mehatronički uređaj za izradu i provjeru tekstilnih elektroda. Za izradu elektroda primijenjena je digitalna metoda tiskanja s elektroprovodivim tintama. Mehatronički uređaj je dio tehnološke linije koja radi s digitalnim pisačem. Tehnološka linija se sastoji od četiri modula za tiskanje, provjeru, aktiviranje i verifikaciju elektroprovodivih svojstava elektroda. Prvi modul je inteligentna kamera sa softverom dizajniranim za analizu geometrijskog oblika elektrode. Drugi modul je sustav zagrijavanja za toplinski proces aktiviranja elektrovodljivih svojstava. Treći modul služi za provjeru električne vodljivosti primjenom mjerne glave s više elektroda. Taj tip tekstilnih elektroda namijenjenih za mišičnu elektrostimulaciju primjer je tekstroničkih proizvoda koji se primjenjuju u rehabilitaciji ljudi. Ključne riječi: elektrostimulacija mišića; otpornost površine; tekstilne elektrode; tinta; tiskan 1 Introduction Electrotherapy is an important part of physical therapy, which is used for medical purposes in various types of electrical current stimulation. Accordingly, applied electric current can cause a therapeutic effect of a stimulus and analgesic like neuromuscular stimulation, pain-killing, improvement of tissue perfusion, decreased muscle tone, easing inflammation, accelerate the absorption of edema, improve metabolism, tissue regeneration etc. [1, 2]. Different kinds of textile electrodes are used to muscles electrostimulation during the therapy. Metal or electroconductive gum is used during electrostimulation process in therapy. In this study, new textronic electrodes and whole technological line to create these electrodes were designed. New textile electrodes can replace the traditional electrodes in electro-stimulation. Textile electrodes can be part of the garment such as socks. This will facilitate the placement of electrodes on the patient’s body. This type of device is reusable. The electrodes can be made by various techniques. To the construction of textile electrodes printing technology and electroconductive inks, which consist of silver nanoparticles, were used. They are elastic and good fitted to body shape (legs or arms). The goal of research is to achieve a uniform electroconductive layer with a specific shape on the selected textile substrate. The paper presents only the process of making the printed textile electrode. An automated system for measuring the surface resistance of the produced textile electrode is also described. 2 Technological line to electrodes creation Textile electrodes can be made using various textile technologies, such as padding, vacuum sublimation or printing using electroconductive inks [3]. In the case at hand, the textile electrode printing technology has been developed. The process of making printed textile electrodes is not a single process. The production of the final product is made up of many production stages as creation, validation, activation and verification. These stages are shown in Fig. 1. 4 3 2 1 Printing technology Testing validation activation verification creation Figure 1 A modular schematic of the testing process of printing textronic electrodes for muscular electrostimulation; 1 - printing system; 2 - vision system; 3 - heaters; 4 - multielectrodes checking system The first, most important stage is the selection of printing technology, depending on the textile substrate. For printing on foils, e.g. flexible electronic components, we have many printing techniques to choose from, as in the case of fibrous substrates, which are characterized by the variability of mass, thickness and structure. In the presented solution, the Drop on Demand printing system and Valve Jet printer machines have been selected. Another, the second stage in making textronic muscular electrostimulation electrodes involves the validation of the electrode shape. This can be done, e.g., by comparing the print with the standard. The FZ3 H700, an advanced vision system by Omron, was used for this purpose. The third stage of textile electrode production is