Wearable cardioverter defibrillator with improved ECG electrodes

A Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD) system, the WCD system comprising:

• a support structure configured to be worn by a patient;
• a power source configured to store electrical charge;
• a discharge circuit coupled to the power source;
• one or more electrode assemblies, each electrode assembly of the one or more electrode assemblies, having an electrode, the electrode having at least a skin-facing surface and a non-skin-facing surface, wherein the electrode of each electrode assembly comprises a plurality of layers, each layer of the plurality of layers having an impedance depending on thickness and material of the layer, and wherein the electrode comprises insulating material at least partially surrounding the plurality of layers at least on two sides except for the skin-facing surface of the electrode;
• wiring comprising one or more wires, wherein the wiring is configured to couple the one or more electrode assemblies and one or more processors, wherein the wiring is configured to stretch with the support structure, and wherein a creepage distance is maintained across the plurality of layers using the insulating material across each of the plurality of layers except the layer having the skin-facing surface, to prevent arcing in the one or more electrode assemblies during defibrillation;
• a plurality of electrode status indicators, wherein each electrode status indicator of the plurality of electrode status indicators is proximate to an electrode assembly of the one or more electrode assemblies and is configured to activate when the WCD system detects a fault;
• and
• the one or more processors configured to receive an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal from the one or more electrode assemblies, wherein the one or more processors, based on the received ECG signal, make a shock decision or a no shock decision, and wherein responsive to the shock decision, a shock process is initiated to cause the discharge circuit and the power source to enable, at least, a portion of electrical charge stored in the power source to be delivered to the patient, and responsive to the no shock decision, the discharge circuit and the power source are controlled to prevent delivery of the electrical charge stored in the power source to the patient.