Cuffless Blood Pressure Device with Gel Sensor and Force Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cuff-less occlusion devices for measuring blood pressure and core body temperature are difficult to use due to the need for precise control of force application, and current methods for non-invasive temperature measurement lack accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A device with a flexible gel or resin surface embedded with a pressure sensor and photodetectors, combined with a mechanism for applying varying forces to a body part, allowing for non-invasive measurement of blood pressure and core body temperature using multiple temperature sensors to compensate for skin temperature variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cuff-less occlusion device is used for blood pressure measurement, then the device portability and ease of manufacture are improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in controlling applied force
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses a force sensor to automatically measure the applied force and the processor to calculate blood pressure based on this measured force, eliminating the need for users to manually control or calculate the required occlusion force. The system self-regulates by sensing the actual force applied and compensating for variations, making operation as easy as placing the device on the body part.
2Measurement precision
If multiple temperature sensors are used to estimate core body temperature, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the temperature measurement function into multiple independent temperature sensors placed at different locations (skin surface and deeper tissue). Each sensor independently measures temperature at its location, and the processor combines these segmented measurements to calculate the core body temperature estimate, improving precision through distributed sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature sensors serve multiple functions: they measure skin temperature, measure deeper tissue temperature, and provide data for calculating both core body temperature and blood pressure parameters. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by using the same sensors for multiple measurement purposes.
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 device provides accurate and easy-to-use blood pressure measurement and improved estimation of core body temperature by processing signals from pressure and temperature sensors, reducing user error and enhancing measurement precision.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor embedded in the gel or resin
Implementation Method 2
one or more photodetectors for detecting light scattered by or transmitted through the body part
Implementation Method 3
receiving a first temperature measurement from a first temperature sensor associated with a first location on the surface of a body of the user and a second temperature measurement from a second temperature sensor associated with a second location on the surface of the body
Data Source
AI summary
A device is disclosed for measuring blood pressure comprising a signal acquisition component comprising a flexible and essentially incompressible gel or resin, a surface of which is adapted in use to contact a body part; a pressure sensor embedded in the gel or resin, one or more photoemitters for emitting light into the body part when the body part is in contact with the surface of the gel or resin, one or more photodetectors for detecting light scattered by or transmitted through the body part; a processing means which is programmed for analysing the signals from the pressure sensor and the photodetector(s) to provide a measurement of blood pressure in the body part; and a mechanism for applying force, which is adapted to apply varied force to the body part in a direction towards the surface of the gel or resin.