Hydraulic Bed Sensor for Non-Invasive Physiological Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-invasive bed sensors face challenges in sensitivity for detecting physiological data and user comfort, particularly in monitoring heartbeats and respiratory patterns of in-bed patients or elderly individuals.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic bed sensor system that uses a hydraulic transducer to transduce physiological pressures into a pressure sensor, combined with signal processing techniques like windowed peak-to-peak deviation (WPPD) and clustering analysis to extract heartbeat and respiratory data, providing improved sensitivity and comfort through reduced mattress deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional bed sensors are used to detect physiological data, then monitoring capability is provided, but sensitivity for detecting heartbeat and respiratory patterns is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hydraulic transducer system where a fluid-filled chamber is positioned between the mattress and the sensor. Physiological movements of the patient's body compress the fluid, which transmits these mechanical deformations to the pressure sensor. This hydraulic coupling amplifies the sensitivity of detection for subtle physiological events like heartbeats and respiratory patterns, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hydraulic fluid as an intermediary medium between the patient's body and the pressure sensor. The fluid acts as a mediator that couples the mechanical deformations from physiological movements to the sensor, enhancing the transmission of subtle body movements while filtering out high-frequency noise, thereby improving both sensitivity and detection accuracy.
2Productivity
If sensors are integrated into the mattress structure, then continuous monitoring is enabled, but user comfort is reduced due to mattress deformation and sensor visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the pressure sensor is embedded within a fluid-filled chamber, which is in turn positioned between the mattress and the patient's body. This nested arrangement allows the sensor system to be integrated into the mattress structure for continuous monitoring while maintaining a flexible, conformable profile that minimizes deformation and enhances user comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a flexible fluid-filled chamber that can conform to the contours of the patient's body and mattress surface. This flexible structure allows continuous monitoring capability while adapting to body movements and maintaining comfort, as the soft hydraulic interface does not create rigid pressure points or visible deformations.
3Measurement precision
If high sensitivity sensors are used to detect physiological movements, then detection accuracy improves, but user comfort deteriorates due to increased mattress deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hydraulic transducer system where a fluid-filled chamber is positioned between the mattress and the sensor. Physiological movements of the patient's body compress the fluid, which transmits these mechanical deformations to the pressure sensor. This hydraulic coupling amplifies the sensitivity of detection for subtle physiological events like heartbeats and respiratory patterns, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hydraulic fluid as an intermediary medium between the patient's body and the pressure sensor. The fluid acts as a mediator that couples the mechanical deformations from physiological movements to the sensor, enhancing the transmission of subtle body movements while filtering out high-frequency noise, thereby improving both sensitivity and detection accuracy.
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 system effectively captures heart rate, respiratory rate, and restlessness data with high accuracy, enhancing continuous monitoring for health assessment and comfort by minimizing sensor visibility and deformation.
Implementation Method 1
a hydraulic transducer to transduce physiological pressures into a pressure sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a new and improved non-invasive bed sensing system for detecting and monitoring physiological movements such as heartbeat and respiration. The system may employ a hydraulic fluid to transduce the physiological pressures to an integrated pressure sensor and a new and improved signal processing method to identify individual cardiac pulses from the electronic signals generated by the hydraulic transducer. The system provides increased sensitivity capable of capturing quantitative pulse and respiration rates with subtle changes, ability to distinguish between instances of low pulse rate and shallow breathing, and improved comfort over existing systems.