CPR Meter Infant Detection via Chest Height and Impedance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current CPR meters lack the ability to differentiate between adult and infant patients, leading to the risk of inappropriate CPR protocols being applied to infants, potentially causing injury, as they rely on user training and labeling without a reliable method to prevent misapplication.

Innovation Solution

A CPR meter that senses chest compression displacement, force, trans thoracic impedance, and calculated chest height to determine if an infant patient is present, issuing visual and aural alerts if misapplication is detected, thereby preventing inappropriate use on infants.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a CPR meter is designed to be universally applicable to all patients, then ease of operation is improved, but safety deteriorates due to risk of inappropriate use on infants

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidharmful factors
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The CPR meter performs preliminary detection of patient characteristics (chest compression depth, force, and calculated chest height) before initiating CPR guidance. This preliminary action identifies infant patients in advance, allowing the system to issue alerts and prevent inappropriate adult CPR protocols from being applied to infants, thereby resolving the contradiction between universal applicability and safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If automated infant detection is added to the CPR meter, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The CPR meter uses its existing sensors (force sensor and accelerometer) to perform self-detection of patient characteristics. The system calculates chest height and detects compression depth and force automatically without requiring additional specialized sensors or external monitoring equipment. This self-service approach improves reliability through automated infant detection while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the CPR meter issues frequent alerts to prevent infant misapplication, then safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to false warnings

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidproductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The CPR meter employs feedback mechanisms to continuously monitor compression characteristics and compare them against established thresholds. The system provides feedback through alerts when infant characteristics are detected, but the feedback loop also allows the system to learn from ongoing CPR sessions and adjust its detection sensitivity, reducing false warnings while maintaining high reliability in preventing infant misapplication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

The solution effectively reduces the risk of inappropriate CPR protocols on infants by providing accurate alerts, minimizing false warnings and ensuring proper CPR guidance based on patient parameters, thus ensuring safe and appropriate CPR techniques are applied.

Implementation Method 1

The CPR meter senses the force and displacement of the compressions via an internal force sensor and accelerometer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAccelerometer: Accelerometer

Implementation Method 2

The CPR meter senses the force and displacement of the compressions via an internal force sensor and accelerometer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForce sensing: Force

Implementation Method 3

An AED to which the CPR meter is connected may sense the patient's cardiac ECG signals via electrodes placed across the patient's chest

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical impedance: Electrical Resistance

Data Source

PatentEP2588056B1Pediatric patient-safe CPR device
Publication Date: 2019.10.16 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP2588056B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2588056B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2588056B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A CPR guidance device for placement and use on the chest of an adult patient. The device guides a rescuer in the application of an adult CPR protocol. The device also senses patient characteristics indicative of an infant patient. If the device senses that the patient in an infant, it appropriately warns the rescuer that the device is for adult patient use only.