Reduce Motion Artifact Electrode

A medical electrode comprising:

• a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces and comprising a patient contact portion, said substrate moveable between a first position in which said substrate is suspended above a patient's skin and a second position in which at least the patient contact portion of said substrate is in contact with the patient's skin;
• a dielectric member disposed to suspend said substrate above the patient's skin when said substrate is in the first position;
• a connector, disposed on said substrate, said connector adapted to couple to a lead wire;
• and
• a conductive signal path disposed on said substrate, said conductive signal path having a first end electrically coupled to said connector and a second end electrically coupled to the patient contact portion of said substrate, said conductive signal path having a shape selected to provide strain relief between said connector and the patient contact portion of said substrate so as to mechanically isolate the patient contact portion of said substrate from movement while of said connector and while maintaining an electrical connection between said electrical contact and the patient contact portion of said substrate.

A method for fabricating a medical electrode comprising:

• providing a dielectric member;
• disposing a substrate over the dielectric member, the substrate having first and second opposing surfaces and comprising a patient contact portion and a dielectric engaging portion wherein the substrate is disposed over the dielectric member such that the dielectric member suspends the substrate above the patient's skin when the substrate is in a first position;
• securing a connector to the substrate;
• providing a strain relief region in the substrate, the strain relief region located between the patient contact portion of the substrate and the connector such that the substrate is moveable between the first position in which the substrate is suspended above a patient's skin and a second position in which at least the patient contact portion of the substrate is in contact with the patient's skin;
• and
• providing a conductor on the substrate which electrically couples the connector to the patient contact portion of the substrate wherein the conductor is provided having a shape corresponding to a strain relief region that provides strain relief between the connector and the patient contact portion of the substrate wherein the strain relief regions of the substrate and the conductor operate so as to mechanically isolate the patient contact portion of the substrate from movement of the connector while maintaining an electrical connection between the connector and the patient contact portion of the substrate.