Contactless Sensor-Drive Device for Pulse Wave Velocity Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current health monitoring solutions are reactive, invasive, and limited in their ability to provide preemptive monitoring of health events outside of medical facilities.
Innovation Solution
An ambient monitoring device equipped with contactless sensors that can measure vital signs and activity without direct contact, enabling predictive assessments and arterial stiffness analysis using pulse wave velocity (PWV).
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If contactless sensors are used for health monitoring, then ease of operation and non-invasiveness are improved, but measurement precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces contact-based mechanical sensing with contactless optical sensing using photodetectors and light sources. This substitution enables non-invasive health monitoring while maintaining measurement capability through optical detection of physiological signals such as pulse wave velocity, eliminating the need for physical contact sensors on the skin.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces light as an intermediary medium between the sensor system and the physiological parameters being measured. By using photodetectors to detect optical changes in tissue caused by blood flow and pulse waves, the system indirectly measures physiological signals without direct contact, resolving the contradiction between contactless operation and measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are deployed for accurate PWV measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a multi-functional sensor assembly where photodetectors and light sources serve multiple purposes: detecting pulse wave velocity, monitoring blood flow characteristics, and assessing arterial stiffness. This universal approach allows accurate PWV measurement without requiring separate dedicated sensors for each physiological parameter, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
3Device complexity
If reactive health assessment is used, then simplicity of the system is maintained, but reliability of health monitoring deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by continuously monitoring pulse wave velocity and arterial stiffness parameters in advance to predict potential health events before they occur. The system proactively assesses cardiovascular health status and can alert users to emerging issues, transforming reactive health assessment into a predictive model that improves reliability while maintaining system simplicity through continuous baseline measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where measured PWV and arterial stiffness data are continuously analyzed and compared against established thresholds. This feedback loop enables the system to automatically detect deviations from normal ranges and trigger appropriate alerts or recommendations, enhancing the reliability of health monitoring without significantly increasing system complexity.
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 proactive health monitoring in non-medical settings, providing alerts and predictive data for health events, and offering a non-invasive means to assess arterial stiffness regularly.
Implementation Method 1
A first contactless sensor of the plurality of contactless sensors is configured to detect a pulse wave in the subject
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a monitoring device that includes a housing, contactless sensors coupled to the housing, and a processing device disposed in the housing. In at least one embodiment, the monitoring device is configured to measure pulse wave velocity in a subject.