Flexible Near-Infrared Sensor for Neonatal Oxygen Saturation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oxygen saturation sensors are often too rigid to accurately fit the contours of a patient's body, particularly for prematurely-born neonates, making it difficult to measure oxygen saturation effectively.
Innovation Solution
A flexible physiological sensor with a light active sheet configuration, comprising a sensor pad with a light source and detector between substrates, allows near-infrared light to travel through the body, providing accurate oxygen saturation measurements by fitting the body's contours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing oxygen sensors are made rigid to ensure structural stability, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the sensor cannot fit the contours of the patient's body, reducing measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by constructing the sensor with a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) as the substrate, replacing rigid printed circuit boards. The FPC allows the sensor to conform to the curved surfaces of a patient's body (such as a neonate's head or extremities) while maintaining the electrical connections and structural integrity needed for accurate near-infrared spectroscopy measurements of oxygen saturation
2Adaptability or versatility
If the sensor is made flexible to fit body contours, then adaptability is improved, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The FPC substrate provides both flexibility for body contour adaptation and inherent structural stability through its layered construction. The flexible circuit board maintains rigid electrical traces and connections while bending, ensuring stable signal transmission and power delivery even when conforming to curved body surfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor employs composite construction by integrating the FPC substrate with optical components (near-infrared light sources and detectors), adhesive layers, and protective coatings. This composite structure combines the flexibility of the FPC with the functional stability of the optical components, achieving both adaptability to body contours and structural stability for reliable measurements
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 flexible sensor design enables precise measurement of oxygen saturation by accommodating the body's shape, improving measurement accuracy and comfort, especially for neonates.
Implementation Method 1
A light source configured to emit near-infrared light and a light detector configured to detect near-infrared light are disposed between the substrates. The sensor pad is configured to allow light generated by the light source to travel through the portion of the patient's body to the light detector.
Implementation Method 2
Near-Infrared spectroscopy is a non-invasive medical technique used to measure the oxygen saturation of a patient's blood or tissue.
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor includes a sensor pad configured to be disposed on a portion of a patient's body. A light sheet is disposed on the sensor pad and has a first substrate and a second substrate spaced from one another. The light sheet further includes a light source configured to emit near-infrared light and a light detector configured to detect near-infrared light. The light source and the light detector are disposed between the substrates. The sensor pad is configured to allow light generated by the light source to travel through the portion of the patient's body to the light detector. The light received by the light detector is indicative of oxygen saturation of the portion of the patient's body through which the light travelled.