Handheld Uroflow Monitoring for Complete Home Void Records
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional uroflowmeters are bulky, inconvenient, and unable to accurately capture a complete record of patient voids due to their non-portable nature, leading to incomplete and erroneous data, which hampers patient care.
Innovation Solution
A handheld voiding device with flow and validation sensors that communicates with electronic devices to detect and validate urine flow events, generating accurate urine flow rate and volume data, and integrates user input to create a comprehensive urinary diary for improved diagnostic accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional in-office uroflowmeters are used, then measurement precision is maintained, but device portability and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional bulky in-office uroflowmeter is segmented into a portable handheld device that can be taken home by patients, combined with a remote server system for data processing and validation. This segmentation allows the measurement function to be portable while maintaining precision through the server-based validation system.
Solution Approach 2:
A server acts as an intermediary between the portable uroflowmeter and the healthcare provider. The server receives raw data from the portable device, validates it using validation algorithms, and processes it into clinically useful information, thereby maintaining measurement precision despite the portability of the sensing device.
2Measurement precision
If traditional in-office uroflowmeters are used, then measurement precision is maintained, but data completeness deteriorates due to patient behavior modification and limited monitoring period
Solution Approach 1:
Patients are provided with portable uroflowmeters before their monitoring period begins, allowing them to immediately start recording voids at home without behavioral modification. The devices are pre-configured with validation algorithms that will automatically detect and validate void events, ensuring complete capture of all voids throughout the monitoring period.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable uroflowmeter enables continuous monitoring of urine flow events throughout the entire monitoring period at the patient's home, eliminating gaps in data collection. The device continuously records flow data and automatically validates void events, ensuring no information is lost due to patient absence from the clinic.
3Device complexity
If manual paper diaries are used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and data reliability deteriorate due to delays and errors in recording
Solution Approach 1:
The portable uroflowmeter performs self-validation of void events using built-in validation algorithms that analyze flow patterns, duration, and volume. The device automatically determines whether detected flow events are genuine voids or false positives (such as rinsing the device), eliminating the need for manual verification and reducing recording errors while maintaining simplicity for the patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides immediate feedback to patients through the portable device, confirming detected void events and providing real-time validation. This feedback loop ensures accurate recording without requiring complex manual verification procedures, as the device itself confirms each detected event.
4Device complexity
If manual paper diaries are used, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of time deteriorates due to delays in transcription and potential loss of records
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical process of writing in paper diaries and physically transporting them to the clinic is replaced with electronic data transmission. The portable uroflowmeter automatically transmits validated void data wirelessly to the server and ultimately to the healthcare provider, eliminating transcription delays and the risk of losing physical records while keeping the patient's interaction simple.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to methods and systems for generating a void profile for user void events. The method includes receiving by a processing element a plurality of outputs from a fluid level sensor corresponding to a plurality of levels of fluid flowing through a voiding device during a flow event; determining by the processing element a beginning and an end time of the fluid flow into the voiding device during the flow event; analyzing the plurality of outputs of the fluid level sensor over a time interval defined by the beginning and end time of the fluid flow to determine at least one of a fluid flow rate data and an accumulated volume data for the fluid flowing through the voiding device; and storing the fluid flow rate data and the accumulated flow volume data in a memory.