Cody Rawlings Rose Hills
EDL Informed Neurotechnology for REM Sleep State Modulation
Disruptions in sleep, including delayed and fragmented rapid eye movement (REM) cycles are well-established features of neurological and mental health conditions; however accurate REM detection is limited to clinical settings and expensive devices. To solve this, we introduce a physics-based model of polysomnography (PSG) at non-contact, dry-wet multi-electrode (3×3) arrays placed near the eyes to assist point-of-care (POC) continuous sleep tracking technology. Recorded biopotential at each electrode segment depends on time-varying skin-electrode impedance governed by interfacial properties. Controlling ionic concentration at the skin-electrode interfaces shapes electrical double layer (EDL) formation and is necessary for sensitive and long-term sensing of bioelectric PSG signals relevant to early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of dysregulated sleep. This model motivates the design of an automatic, microfluidic neurotechnology sleep mask that uses 3D biopotential mapping to enable spatially resolved, position aware, and motion adaptive electrode measurements. The model-device framework supports future closed-loop strategies for monitoring and influencing sleep state.
Message To Sponsor
I am deeply grateful to the sponsor of my research. The goal of this project is integration of clinical grade sleep diagnostics in real world settings. This work is dedicated to the memory of my friends and lacrosse teammates. Personal experiences with addiction in my family and communities motivates my interests in interfacial electrochemical neuroengineering for accessible mental health technologies.