Respiratory monitoring device

Abstract

A respiratory monitoring device comprises a humidity sensor and a control system. The humidity sensor is a capacitive sensor configured to sense humidity of exhaled gas of a living body and generate an analog capacitance signal reflecting a change in capacitance formed by the humidity sensor. The control system is configured to acquire the analog capacitance signal and process the analog capacitance signal, including analog-to-digital conversion, to obtain a first monitoring signal. The capacitive sensor as the humidity sensor in the respiratory monitoring device can improve sensitivity of the respiratory monitoring device while controlling cost and volume.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electronics, and more particularly to a respiratory monitoring device. Background Technology

[0002] Respiratory monitoring is an important technology used to assist in medical monitoring and health examinations. For example, respiratory monitoring can record a person's breathing activities and snoring during sleep.

[0003] However, existing respiratory monitoring devices still have some shortcomings. For example, most current respiratory monitoring devices are large-scale clinical applications, making them inconvenient to move. Portable respiratory monitoring devices are not yet widely used. Currently available expiratory flow sensors have low sensitivity, making it difficult to accurately identify weak or rapid breathing. Other devices, such as thoracic and oxygen saturation sensors, measure indirectly and are affected by many other factors, resulting in insufficient accuracy in identifying respiratory status. Furthermore, portable respiratory monitoring devices are limited by design costs and size, making it difficult to ensure their sensitivity and accuracy.

[0004] With the trend towards portability and miniaturization of home medical devices, the industry urgently needs respiratory monitoring equipment with higher sensitivity. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a respiratory monitoring device that can improve the sensitivity of the respiratory monitoring device while controlling cost and size.

[0006] The aforementioned respiratory monitoring device includes a humidity sensor and a control system. The humidity sensor is a capacitive sensor used to sense the humidity of the exhaled gas of an organism and generate an analog capacitance signal. The analog capacitance signal is used to reflect the change in capacitance formed by the humidity sensor. The control system is used to: acquire the analog capacitance signal; and perform a first processing on the analog capacitance signal to obtain a first monitoring signal. The first processing includes analog-to-digital conversion.

[0007] In this embodiment, the capacitive sensor has the characteristics of fast response speed, high sensitivity, good temperature stability, simple structure and strong adaptability. Using the capacitive sensor as the humidity sensor in the respiratory monitoring device can improve the sensitivity of the respiratory monitoring device while controlling cost and size.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the dielectric material of the capacitor in the humidity sensor described above is air.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the dielectric material of the capacitor in the humidity sensor described above is a metal oxide.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the humidity sensor includes a silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer, which serves as the dielectric material of the capacitor, and the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer includes silk fibroin.

[0011] In this embodiment, silk fibroin is used as the dielectric material of the capacitor in the humidity sensor. Its good air and moisture permeability can be used to increase the test sensitivity of the humidity sensor. When the humidity sensor is applied to a respiratory monitoring device, the sensitivity of the respiratory monitoring device is improved.

[0012] In one possible implementation, at least a portion of the silk fibroin in the moisture-sensitive layer has a β-sheet structure in a crystalline state.

[0013] In this embodiment, since the β-sheet structure is insoluble in water, water molecules can be rapidly adsorbed and desorbed from the β-sheet in silk fibroin. In a humid environment, this can reduce the bound water content in the film while increasing the free water content, thereby improving the moisture sensing efficiency of the silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer and thus enhancing the sensitivity of the humidity sensor.

[0014] In one possible implementation, more than 30% of the silk fibroin in the moisture-sensitive layer has a β-sheet structure in a crystalline state.

[0015] In this embodiment, the proportion of β-sheet structures in the crystalline state of the silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer is increased to more than 30%. Since the β-sheet structure is insoluble in water, water molecules can be rapidly adsorbed and desorbed from the β-sheets in the silk fibroin. In a humid environment, the bound water content in the film can be reduced while the free water content is increased, thereby improving the moisture-sensing efficiency of the silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer and thus improving the sensitivity of the humidity sensor.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is obtained by placing the silk fibroin in water vapor, a small-molecule organic polar solution, or its vapor for a predetermined time, so that at least part of the silk fibroin molecular chain structure is transformed into a β-sheet structure in a crystalline state.

[0017] In this embodiment, the humidity sensor in the respiratory monitoring device uses a silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer as a dielectric material. The silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is obtained by placing it in water vapor, small-molecule organic polar solutions or their vapors for a preset time. The β-sheet structure in the treated silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is greatly improved. Since the β-sheet structure is insoluble in water, it can reduce the bound water content in the film and increase the free water content in a humid environment, thereby improving the moisture-sensing efficiency of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer and thus improving the sensitivity of the humidity sensor.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the small molecule organic polar solution includes at least one of the following: anhydrous methanol, methanol solution, anhydrous ethanol, and ethanol solution.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the surface of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is provided with a fibrous structure.

[0020] In this embodiment, a fiber structure is fabricated on the surface of the silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer, which can increase the contact area between the humidity sensor and the air during operation, thereby improving the sensitivity and response speed of the humidity sensor.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the fiber structure comprises fiber units with diameters ranging from 1 nanometer to 100 micrometers.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the analog capacitance signal is transmitted between the humidity sensor and the control system via a signal transmission line, which is a flexible shielded wire.

[0023] In this embodiment, the humidity sensor is a capacitive sensor. Parasitic capacitance forms between the two signal transmission lines connected to the positive and negative plates of the capacitor, affecting the acquired signal. Using flexible shielded wires can reduce this parasitic capacitance between the signal transmission lines, improving the accuracy of the humidity sensor's output signal.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the control system is further configured to transmit the first monitoring signal.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the control system includes: an analog-to-digital conversion module for performing analog-to-digital conversion on the analog capacitor signal to obtain a digital capacitor signal; a processing module for preprocessing the digital capacitor signal to obtain the first monitoring signal; and a wireless transmission module for transmitting the first monitoring signal wirelessly. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a respiratory monitoring device 100 according to an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a respiratory monitoring device 100 according to an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a humidity sensor 110 according to an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a humidity sensor 110 according to another embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a respiratory monitoring device 100 according to another embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a humidity sensor according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] This application provides a respiratory monitoring device that can be used to monitor the respiratory status of an organism. Optionally, the organism can generally refer to a human being, but in some examples, it can also include animals, such as pet cats or dogs.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a respiratory monitoring device 100 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, during use, the breathing monitoring device 100 can be placed near the user's mouth and nose to sense the user's exhaled air. For example, below the user's nose or in front of the user's mouth. The device can transmit the detected signals wirelessly or via wired connection to the management device 200, which further analyzes and processes the detected signals to obtain the user's breathing data.

[0035] This device is small in size, inexpensive, and easy to carry, making it widely applicable to scenarios requiring portable medical equipment, such as home medical settings or field emergency rescue.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the respiratory monitoring device 100 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the respiratory monitoring device 100 includes a humidity sensor 110 and a control system 120.

[0037] The humidity sensor 110 senses the humidity of the exhaled air from an organism to generate an analog capacitance signal. This analog capacitance signal reflects changes in the humidity of the exhaled air. The humidity sensor is a capacitive sensor. The analog capacitance signal also reflects changes in the capacitance formed by the humidity sensor.

[0038] Optionally, the dielectric material of the capacitor in the humidity sensor 110 can be air, metal oxide, polymer, or other types. Optionally, the aforementioned metal oxide can include zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, etc. Optionally, the polymer can include silk fibroin, polyimide, etc.

[0039] For capacitive humidity sensors, the dielectric constant changes when the medium absorbs water, which in turn causes a change in the sensor capacitance. The change in capacitance can be used to calibrate the ambient humidity and characterize relevant indicators related to respiration.

[0040] The control system 120 is used to acquire the analog capacitor signal and perform a first processing on the analog capacitor signal to obtain a first monitoring signal.

[0041] Optionally, the first process described above includes, but is not limited to, operations such as analog-to-digital conversion.

[0042] Optionally, the control system can send the first monitoring signal to the management device 200 for further processing and analysis. The management device 200 includes, but is not limited to, mobile phones, tablets, terminal devices, cloud servers, etc.

[0043] For example, the aforementioned management device 200 can be equipped with respiratory monitoring software. This software can convert the received first monitoring signal into a respiratory change curve. As an example, the initial value of the respiratory change curve can be the ambient humidity collected by the sensor when it is powered on; subsequently, the humidity changes of the monitored output gas fluctuate around this initial value. By reading the parameters of the respiratory change curve, parameters such as the human respiratory rate, single breath duration, and exhaled gas moisture content can be analyzed. Through big data analysis, the user's health status can be understood, and a health report can be generated.

[0044] Optionally, the aforementioned respiratory monitoring software may also include an alarm module. If the fluctuation range of the respiratory curve is less than a preset alarm value, it can be determined as respiratory arrest, triggering an alarm to alert others for assistance. For example, respiratory arrest may occur during sleep due to snoring, sudden illness, or other reasons, endangering life. When the user wears the respiratory monitoring device 100 while sleeping, the software in the management device 200 can automatically monitor breathing during this period. If the respiratory curve remains relatively flat for a certain period without fluctuations, the alarm device will be triggered.

[0045] It should be understood that Figure 2 The structure in the example is only used for illustration; in practice, Figure 2 It may include more hardware or modules, or replace or modify the functional units therein. Within a reasonable range of changes, all such modifications fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0046] In this embodiment, the capacitive sensor has the characteristics of fast response speed, high sensitivity, good temperature stability, simple structure and strong adaptability. Using the capacitive sensor as the humidity sensor in the respiratory monitoring device can improve the sensitivity of the respiratory monitoring device while controlling cost and size.

[0047] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a humidity sensor 110 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 As shown, the humidity sensor 110 includes a silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer, an electrode layer, and a substrate layer. The electrode layer includes two electrodes of a capacitor, and the silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer serves as the dielectric material between the two electrodes. The silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer can fill the space between the two electrodes in the electrode layer and cover the surfaces of the electrodes.

[0048] The aforementioned silk fibroin refers to a natural high-molecular-weight fibrous protein extracted from silkworm silk. It possesses excellent mechanical and physicochemical properties, such as good flexibility and tensile strength, breathability, moisture permeability, and slow-release properties. This application does not limit the extraction method or specific types of silk fibroin.

[0049] In some examples, the electrode layer described above may employ an interdigitated electrode structure. The material of the electrode layer can be any conductive material; for example, the material of the electrode layer may include, but is not limited to, the following: gold, silver, gold nanowire materials, silver nanowire materials, and indium tin oxide (ITO).

[0050] Optionally, the capacitor formed by the humidity sensor 110 can be a horizontal parallel plate capacitor structure, and the electrode layer can adopt an interdigitated electrode structure with the positive and negative electrode plates in the same horizontal direction. The silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer, which serves as a dielectric, is filled between the interdigitated electrodes and can be in direct contact with the outside world.

[0051] Optionally, the substrate layer may be made of glass or plastic. As an example, the material of the substrate layer may include, but is not limited to, the following: polyimide (PI), ITO glass, polycarbonate (PC), glass, silicon wafer, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc.

[0052] The humidity sensor 110 works as follows: the electrodes in the electrode layer act as the two poles of a capacitor, and the silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer acts as the dielectric material between the capacitor plates. Humidity changes the dielectric constant of the silk fibroin moisture-sensing layer, thereby changing the output capacitance value. When the humidity sensor 110 is working, it can be placed under the user's nose. When the user breathes, the change in the moisture content of the exhaled air will cause fluctuations in the capacitance value, thus allowing for respiratory monitoring and health analysis based on the changes in capacitance.

[0053] It should be understood that Figure 3 This is merely an illustrative example of the structure of the humidity sensor 110. In practice, the humidity sensor 110 may include more or fewer components, and the resulting solution after appropriate modification still falls within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0054] In this embodiment, silk fibroin is used as the dielectric material of the capacitor in the humidity sensor 110. Its good air and moisture permeability can be used to increase the test sensitivity of the humidity sensor 110. When the humidity sensor 110 is applied to a respiratory monitoring device, the sensitivity of the respiratory monitoring device can be improved while controlling cost and size.

[0055] Furthermore, embodiments of this application may further process the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer to optimize its performance.

[0056] For example, the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer can be treated to increase the number of crystalline β-sheet structures (hereinafter referred to as β-sheet structures for simplicity) in the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer. Since the β-sheet structure is insoluble in water, it can reduce the content of bound water in the film and increase the content of free water in a humid environment, thereby improving the moisture-sensing efficiency of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer and thus improving the sensitivity of the humidity sensor 110.

[0057] In some examples, naturally extracted silk fibroin may also contain a certain proportion of β-sheet structures, but the proportion is low, for example, possibly between 0 and 20%.

[0058] Optionally, embodiments of this application may also employ certain processing methods to increase the proportion of β-sheet structures in the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer. In some examples, the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer may be placed in water vapor, a small-molecule organic polar solution, or their vapor for a predetermined period of time to alter the molecular chain structure of the silk fibroin, causing it to transform from an amorphous state (Silk I) to a crystalline state (Silk II), and increasing the amount of water-insoluble β-sheet structures. Under this treatment method, the proportion of β-sheet structures in the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer can be significantly increased, for example, by more than 30%. As an example, the proportion of β-sheet structures in the moisture-sensitive layer of silk fibroin can be 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60%, 65%, or 70%.

[0059] In some examples, the proportion of β-sheet structures in the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is approximately between 30% and 55%. Alternatively, with technological advancements, the proportion of β-sheet structures in the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer can be increased, for example, to over 60%.

[0060] Optionally, the above-mentioned small molecule organic polar solutions may include, but are not limited to, the following: anhydrous methanol, methanol solution, anhydrous ethanol, and ethanol solution.

[0061] The concentration of the organic polar solution containing the aforementioned small molecules can be adjusted according to specific circumstances, as long as it increases the β-sheet structure in silk fibroin. For example, the concentration of the organic polar solution containing the aforementioned small molecules can be between 5% and 90%.

[0062] In one example, the concentration of the methanol solution can be between 75% and 85%.

[0063] Optionally, the soaking time of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer in a small-molecule organic polar solution is not limited in the embodiments of this application, and can be determined according to specific circumstances. For example, the soaking time can be 0.5 hours to 12 hours. For example, the preset time can be 1 hour, 1 hour 30 minutes, 1 hour 45 minutes, 2 hours, 2 hours 15 minutes, 2 hours 30 minutes, 10 hours, etc.

[0064] In one example, the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer can be soaked in an 80% methanol solution for 2 hours to obtain a silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer with altered molecular chain structure.

[0065] The aforementioned silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is obtained by immersing the protein layer in a methanol aqueous solution for a predetermined time, thereby altering the molecular chain structure of the protein layer.

[0066] In this embodiment, the humidity sensor 110 in the respiratory monitoring device uses a silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer as a dielectric material. The silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is obtained by soaking in water vapor, small-molecule organic polar solutions or their vapors for a preset time. The β-sheet structure in the treated silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is greatly improved. Since the β-sheet structure is insoluble in water, water molecules can be rapidly adsorbed and desorbed from the β-sheet in the silk fibroin. In a humid environment, the bound water content in the film can be reduced, while the free water content can be increased, thereby improving the moisture-sensing efficiency of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer and thus improving the sensitivity of the humidity sensor 110.

[0067] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a humidity sensor according to another embodiment of this application. Figure 4 As shown, optionally, in this embodiment of the application, a fiber structure can also be fabricated on the surface of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer. The fiber structure may include fiber units with a diameter ranging from 1 nanometer (nm) to 100 micrometer (μm). Optionally, the process of fabricating the fiber structure on the surface of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer can also be referred to as a protein surface roughening process.

[0068] Alternatively, in a specific example, one or more of the following processes can be used to manufacture the fiber structure: plasma oxidation etching, electro-atomization, ultrasonic atomization, high-pressure atomization, etc.

[0069] Electro-atomization etching utilizes electrohydrodynamic atomization to atomize deionized water or a mixture of deionized water and ethanol into micro- and nano-sized droplets. These droplets are then deposited onto the surface of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer, where physical dissolution leads to the formation of micro- and nano-structures on the silk fibroin surface. Similar to electro-atomization etching, ultrasonic atomization and high-pressure atomization employ ultrasonic or high-pressure atomization principles to deposit tiny droplets onto the silk fibroin surface, generating microstructures through dissolution and increasing the specific surface area of ​​the moisture-sensitive layer.

[0070] In this embodiment, micro-nano structures are prepared on the surface of the silk fibroin film. This significantly increases the specific surface area of ​​the moisture-sensing layer and improves the water absorption / loss rate of the moisture-sensing layer, thereby enhancing the capacitance response amplitude and speed. In particular, the capacitance change amplitude in the low humidity region can be increased several times, thereby improving the test sensitivity and response speed of the humidity sensor.

[0071] Specific surface area refers to the total area of ​​a unit mass of material.

[0072] In this embodiment of the application, a fiber structure is fabricated on the surface of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer, which can increase the contact area between the humidity sensor 110 and the air during operation, thereby improving the sensitivity and response speed of the humidity sensor 110.

[0073] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a respiratory monitoring device according to another embodiment of this application. Figure 5 As shown, as a specific example, the control system 120 may include an analog-to-digital conversion module, a processing module, and a wireless transmission module.

[0074] The analog-to-digital converter module can be used to receive analog capacitance signals from the humidity sensor 110, convert the analog capacitance signals into digital capacitance signals, and then transmit the digital capacitance signals to the processing module.

[0075] The processing module can preprocess the received digital capacitance signal to obtain a first monitoring signal, and then transmit the first monitoring signal to the wireless transmission module.

[0076] The wireless transmission module is used to transmit the first monitoring signal wirelessly. As an example, the wireless transmission module can be a Bluetooth module or a Wi-Fi module, where the Bluetooth module can transmit or receive signals based on the Bluetooth communication protocol, and the Wi-Fi module can transmit or receive signals based on the Wi-Fi communication protocol.

[0077] As an example, the wireless transmission module can convert the received first monitoring signal into hexadecimal data and use wireless transmission technology to transmit the data to a terminal device, computer, or mobile phone so that the aforementioned devices can observe the data and respiratory change curves.

[0078] Optionally, the aforementioned processing module can be a circuit with signal processing capabilities. In one implementation, the processing module can refer to a processor, which can be a circuit with instruction reading and execution capabilities, such as a CPU, microprocessor, GPU (which can be understood as a type of microprocessor), or DSP. In another implementation, the processor can implement certain functions through the logical relationships of hardware circuits. These logical relationships are fixed or reconfigurable. For example, the processor may be a hardware circuit implemented as an ASIC or PLD, such as an FPGA. In a reconfigurable hardware circuit, the process of the processor loading a configuration document and configuring the hardware circuit can be understood as the process of the processor loading instructions to implement the functions of some or all of the above units. Furthermore, it can also be a hardware circuit designed for artificial intelligence, which can be understood as an ASIC, such as an NPU, TPU, or DPU.

[0079] Optionally, in terms of hardware implementation, the above processing module can be integrated with other modules (e.g., analog-to-digital conversion module, wireless transmission module) or set up independently.

[0080] Optionally, the processing module described above can be used to control other modules in the respiratory monitoring device to perform corresponding functions or send commands. For example, the processing module can be connected to the analog-to-digital conversion module and the wireless transmission module, and control the analog-to-digital conversion module to perform analog-to-digital conversion, or control the wireless transmission module to transmit and receive signals.

[0081] Optionally, the respiratory monitoring device may also include other auxiliary function modules. For example, see [link to documentation]. Figure 5 The device may also include a power module, a power management module, signal transmission lines, etc.

[0082] The signal transmission line transmits the analog capacitance signal generated by the humidity sensor 110 to the control system 120. In some examples, the signal transmission line can be a flexible shielded wire. Since the humidity sensor 110 is a capacitive sensor, parasitic capacitance will form between the two signal transmission lines used to connect the positive and negative plates of the capacitor, thus affecting the acquired signal. Using a flexible shielded wire can reduce the parasitic capacitance between the signal transmission lines and improve the accuracy of the output signal of the humidity sensor 110.

[0083] Optionally, the power module may include a battery. Optionally, the power module may be provided with a charging port, through which an external power source can supply power to the power module. By way of example and not limitation, the charging port described above can be a Type-C port.

[0084] Optionally, the power management module can be used to convert the voltage provided by the power module and provide the converted voltage to each module in the control system 120 for power supply.

[0085] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a humidity sensor according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 As shown, the manufacturing method includes the following steps.

[0086] S601. An electrode layer is grown on the substrate layer, and the electrode layer includes the two poles of the capacitor of the humidity sensor.

[0087] As an example, the aforementioned base layer can also be made of glass or plastic materials. For example, PI (polyimide), PC (polycarbonate), or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) materials.

[0088] The electrodes in the aforementioned electrode layer can be interdigitated electrodes.

[0089] In some examples, the electrode layer can be fabricated using photolithography and vapor deposition processes.

[0090] S602. Coat the electrode layer with silk fibroin to form a silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer.

[0091] Optionally, the coating of silk fibroin on the electrode layer can be carried out in ways including but not limited to spin coating, blade coating, screen printing, slot printing, etc.

[0092] S603, Fabricating a fiber structure on the surface of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer.

[0093] The term "fiber structure" can refer to a fibrous structure composed of fiber units with a diameter ranging from 1 nanometer (nm) to 100 micrometer (μm). In specific examples, one or more of the following processes can be used to manufacture the fiber structure: plasma oxidation etching, electro-atomization, ultrasonic atomization, high-pressure atomization, etc.

[0094] S604. Place the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer in water vapor, a small-molecule organic polar solution, or its vapor for a predetermined time to change the molecular chain structure of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer.

[0095] Optionally, S604 can be executed before or after S603, depending on the characteristics of the specific process adopted. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0096] Optionally, the small molecule organic polar solution includes at least one of the following: anhydrous methanol, methanol solution, anhydrous ethanol, and ethanol solution.

[0097] Optionally, the preset duration is 0.5 to 12 hours.

[0098] As an example and not a limitation, the above-mentioned small molecule organic polar solution or its vapor is an aqueous methanol solution with a concentration of 80% and a preset duration of 2 hours.

[0099] In this embodiment, by placing the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer in water vapor, a small-molecule organic polar solution, or their vapor for a predetermined time, the molecular chain structure of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is altered, thereby increasing its insolubility in water. Enhanced water insolubility allows for rapid water absorption and loss, thus improving the detection sensitivity and response speed of the humidity sensor.

[0100] It should be understood that Figure 6 This is merely an illustrative example of a method for manufacturing a humidity sensor. In practice, the manufacturing method may include more or fewer steps, and the resulting solution, after appropriate modifications, still falls within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0101] It should be understood that the numbering of each step in the method of this application embodiment does not limit the order in which they are executed. In practical applications, the order of the above steps can also be adjusted according to practice, and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0102] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0103] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0104] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0105] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0106] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0107] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0108] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A respiratory monitoring device, characterized in that, Includes humidity sensors and control systems. The humidity sensor is a capacitive sensor used to sense the humidity of the exhaled gas of an organism and generate an analog capacitance signal, which is used to reflect the change in capacitance formed by the humidity sensor. The control system is configured to: acquire the analog capacitance signal; perform a first processing on the analog capacitance signal to acquire a first monitoring signal, wherein the first processing includes analog-to-digital conversion; The humidity sensor includes a silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer, which serves as the dielectric material of the capacitor. The silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer includes silk fibroin. At least a portion of the silk fibroin in the moisture-sensitive layer has a β-sheet structure in a crystalline state. The surface of the silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is provided with a fiber structure, which includes fiber units with a diameter in the range of 1 nanometer to 100 micrometers. The fiber structure is fabricated using at least one of the following processes: plasma oxidation etching, electro-atomization, ultrasonic atomization, and high-pressure atomization.

2. The device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The silk fibroin moisture-sensitive layer is obtained by placing silk fibroin in water vapor, a small-molecule organic polar solution, or its vapor for a predetermined time, so that at least part of the silk fibroin molecular chain structure is transformed into a β-sheet structure in a crystalline state.

3. The device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The small-molecule organic polar solution includes at least one of the following: Anhydrous methanol, methanol solution, anhydrous ethanol, ethanol solution.

4. The device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, More than 30% of the silk fibroin in the moisture-sensitive layer has a β-sheet structure in a crystalline state.

5. The device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The humidity sensor and the control system transmit the analog capacitance signal through a signal transmission line, which is a flexible shielded line.

6. The device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The control system is also used to send the first monitoring signal.

7. The device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The control system includes: An analog-to-digital converter module is used to perform analog-to-digital conversion on the analog capacitor signal to obtain a digital capacitor signal; The processing module is used to preprocess the digital capacitance signal to obtain the first monitoring signal; The wireless transmission module is used to transmit the first monitoring signal wirelessly.

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