el ec trod e assem b ly d esign for tran scr an ial d irec t c.pdfVIP

34th Annual International Conference of the IEEE EMBS San Diego, California USA, 28 August - 1 September, 2012 Electrode assembly design for transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: A FEM modeling study* Greg Kronberg, Marom Bikson, Member, IEEE Abstract— Despite accelerating progress in transcranial are applied – often without specifications in publications. On Direct Current Stimulation clinical and cognitive research, the one hand, it is generally held that except for electrode there remains remarkably little consistency in the control of size, the design of the electrode does not influence current electrode design and preparation. Electrode assembly design flow at the level of the brain [5][6], and tDCS remains well determines skin sensation and failure at the electrode can lead tolerated when applied with experience. On the other hand, it to skin burns. Though tDCS is generally well tolerated, the remains unclear what factors of electrode design influence desire for rigor in electrode design is motivated by applications sensation and may increase propensity for burns. As tDCS is in increasingly diverse environments and populations. investigated in increasingly diverse environments, with Generally the tDCS electrode assembly consists of a flat rubber increasing dosage/regularity, and to diverse (susceptible) or metal electrode and a saline/water saturated sponge. Here populations [7][8], the ambiguity surrounding tDCS electrode we show using FEM simulations, that each of these factors design remains of concern. should be controlled to regula