Annular Physiological Sensor Orientation Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing non-invasive monitoring devices fail to accurately measure and map physiological parameters within body cavities, such as the vagina, as they assume uniform parameters throughout the area and lack the ability to determine specific measurement locations.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained, annular-shaped physiological monitoring device equipped with motion sensors and multiple sensor sets that determine its orientation within the body cavity, allowing for precise measurement and mapping of physiological parameters at multiple locations, and the ability to store and download data for subsequent processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a monitoring device is placed within a body cavity to measure physiological parameters, then the ability to monitor internal physiological conditions is improved, but the ability to determine specific measurement locations and map parameters to tissue locations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the body cavity into multiple discrete sensing zones by placing sensor sets at specific angular positions around the annular body. Each sensor set monitors a particular sector of the cavity, enabling spatial mapping of physiological parameters to specific tissue locations through angular position correlation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces angular orientation as an additional dimension for spatial characterization. By measuring the angular position of the device relative to anatomical landmarks and combining this with radial sensor data, the system creates a two-dimensional spatial map (angular position + radial distance) that locates physiological measurements within the body cavity.
2Loss of information
If multiple sensor sets are distributed around the annular body to measure parameters at multiple locations, then the ability to map physiological parameters to specific tissue locations is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each sensor set around the annular body is designed as a modular, multi-functional unit that can detect multiple physiological parameters (temperature, pH, oxygen saturation, etc.) simultaneously. This universal sensor design reduces overall system complexity by eliminating the need for separate specialized sensors for each parameter type.
Solution Approach 2:
The device implements different sensor configurations at different angular positions around the annular body, with each sensor set optimized for the specific tissue type it contacts. This local customization allows precise spatial mapping while maintaining relatively simple individual sensor units.
3Loss of information
If motion sensors are used to determine device orientation within the body cavity, then the ability to identify measurement locations is improved, but the device requires additional components increasing its complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The motion sensors are integrated with the existing sensor sets around the annular body, sharing common structural support and data processing resources. This merging approach allows orientation determination without requiring separate dedicated motion sensing subsystems, thereby minimizing additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses its own motion sensors to automatically determine its orientation and position within the body cavity without requiring external positioning systems or additional infrastructure. This self-service capability enables location identification while avoiding the complexity of external positioning infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein is a self-contained physiological measuring device adapted for disposition within a patient body cavity, primarily the vagina, for an extended period of time (e.g., 6-48 hours or more). While disposed within the body cavity, the device periodically measures one or more physiological parameters at known locations within the body cavity. In addition to measuring such physiological parameters, the device is operative to store such measurements to memory for subsequent download/processing upon removal of the device from the body cavity and/or upon wireless interrogation.