Finite element modelling of skin on a cellular level

Davies, L., Chappell, P. and Melvin, T. (2014) Finite element modelling of skin on a cellular level. Physics Meets Biology, Oxford, United Kingdom. 02 - 04 Sep 2014. 1 pp .

Abstract

Even though the electrical properties of skin have been investigated for more than 70 years, a better understanding is becoming ever more important for medical applications. This is because electronic and computational technology has advanced dramatically over the last decade, so there is much potential for creating improved prostheses for disabled patients. An improved understanding of the electrical properties of the skin will facilitate the design of non-invasive electrodes and the associated electronics for improving the efficacy of signals sent into the body, for instance for (i) stimulation of muscles and neurons, as well as (ii) sensing neuron, muscle or other ion transport processes in the body.

A popular approach for considering the electrical properties skin in a theoretical model has been to use circuit equivalent models, where the skin structure is considered as a combination of resistors and capacitors. This method leads to a low resolution model, ignoring the potential effects of structures such as sweat glands and hair follicles, as well as heterogeneity within the dermis, epidermis and subcutaneous regions. More recently Finite Element Models have been developed to more accurately reflect the skin’s structure; so far these have been developed for the macro scale by modelling skin as homogenous layers with static dielectric properties. Here we will present our early phase studies where Finite Element Models are being developed to model the skin at higher resolution with a view to gain a better understanding of how physical changes and differences in the skin structure impacts on the electrical properties of skin, most notably of value for functional electrical stimulation applications.

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