Activity Sensor Fusion for Incontinence Type Differentiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices lack the ability to effectively distinguish between stress and urge incontinence, which is crucial for accurate diagnosis and tailored therapy in patients with urinary incontinence.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes activity sensors to collect patient data, including motion and physiological parameters, to determine whether an involuntary voiding event is associated with high or low activity levels, thereby differentiating between stress and urge incontinence by correlating the activity level with the event.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If activity sensors are integrated into the medical device to collect patient activity data, then the ability to distinguish between stress and urge incontinence is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors (accelerometer, piezoelectric crystal, mercury switch, gyro, physiological parameter sensors) into a single integrated medical device unit. This merging of sensing components allows the device to collect comprehensive activity data including motion, position, and physiological parameters, enabling accurate differentiation between stress and urge incontinence while maintaining a unified device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The medical device is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating various sensor types that can detect different aspects of patient activity and physiological state. The same device can monitor motion through accelerometers, position through gyroscopes, and physiological parameters, making it a universal monitoring system that handles multiple diagnostic functions within a single device.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to monitor patient activity level, then the measurement accuracy of activity level is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensing function into multiple specialized sensors, each responsible for detecting specific aspects of patient activity. The accelerometer monitors linear motion, the piezoelectric crystal detects pressure changes, the mercury switch detects orientation, and the gyro monitors rotational movement. This segmentation of sensing functions allows each sensor to optimize its performance for its specific measurement task, improving overall measurement accuracy while maintaining manageable device complexity through functional specialization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise differentiation between stress and urge incontinence, allowing for more targeted therapy programs and adjustments in electrical stimulation or drug delivery therapy, improving treatment efficacy for patients.
Implementation Method 1
signals from an accelerometer, a piezoelectric crystal, mercury switch, a gyro or a physiological parameter sensor
Implementation Method 2
signals from an accelerometer, a piezoelectric crystal, mercury switch, a gyro or a physiological parameter sensor
Implementation Method 3
signals from an accelerometer, a piezoelectric crystal, mercury switch, a gyro or a physiological parameter sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for determining whether an involuntary voiding event was attributable to stress or urge incontinence include determining an activity level of a patient that coincides with the occurrence of the involuntary voiding event or the activity level within a certain time range of the involuntary voiding event. Patient activity data may be collected via a signal that varies as a function of patient activity. The signal may be generated with one or more sensors that detect motion, such as an accelerometer or a piezoelectric crystal, and/or one or more sensors that monitor a physiological parameter of the patient that varies as a function of patient activity, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, electrocardiogram morphology, respiration rate, respiratory volume, core temperature, muscular activity level or subcutaneous temperature of the patient.