Serosa II is a hydrogel electrode waistband to measure gastrointestinal signals. We sought to create an interface can be worn for long periods of time underneath clothing, and could be accurately placed without the help of a technician or researcher.
With this version, we performed a pilot test to evaluate the signal quality of the hydrogel electrodes. We found that hydrogel electrodes record signal with less power and greater motion artifacts; however, they offer an advantage of more stable impedance over time (see Publications).
We also completed a user evaluation of wearability and types of feedback (visual, auditory, or haptic). Users most understood and enjoyed receiving haptic feedback (vibrations on the wrist). In the study, we asked participants to wear Serosa while completing the Iowa Gambling Card Task. During the task, participants received audio, haptic (vibrations), or visual feedback on “gut” signal, and we compared participant preferences for feedback modality for real-time tasks. (See Master's Thesis*).
In the future, we see Serosa II being useful to test gut-brain computer interfaces (GBCIs) in real-world environments where the preparation and placement of electrodes by a technician is not available.