Modular Wearable Physiological Device for Component Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable physiological devices often suffer from damage after prolonged use, leading to increased expenses as users are forced to replace entire devices rather than individual components.
Innovation Solution
A wearable physiological device design featuring removably coupled housing assemblies and circuit components, allowing users to easily disassemble and replace damaged parts, along with a docking station for charging, which reduces the need for full device replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire wearable physiological device is replaced when components are damaged, then the device reliability is restored, but the user expenditure increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable physiological device is divided into multiple independently replaceable modules including first housing assembly, second housing assembly, circuit assemblies, and sensor modules. This segmentation allows users to replace only the damaged component rather than the entire device, reducing expenditure while restoring reliability.
2Reliability
If the head assembly is replaced as a complete unit when damaged, then the device functionality is restored, but the replacement cost remains high
Solution Approach 1:
The head assembly is further segmented into replaceable circuit assemblies (first circuit assembly, second circuit assembly) and sensor modules. This allows replacement of individual circuit boards or sensor modules rather than the entire head assembly, reducing manufacturing and replacement costs while restoring functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables users to discard only the damaged component (e.g., sensor module, circuit assembly) while recovering and retaining the functional portions of the device. This selective replacement reduces overall replacement cost while restoring full functionality.
3Device complexity
If the wearable device is designed with fixed integrated components, then the device structure is simplified, but the ease of repair is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses standardized removable couplings between housing assemblies and circuit assemblies, enabling easy separation and replacement of components. This modular segmentation maintains relatively simple device structure while dramatically improving ease of repair compared to fully integrated designs.
4Ease of repair
If the wearable device allows modular component replacement, then the ease of repair is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The removable coupling mechanisms and standardized interfaces are designed to be universal across different component types (housing assemblies, circuit assemblies, sensor modules). This universality allows the same coupling mechanism to serve multiple functions for different components, reducing overall device complexity despite the modular design enabling easy repair.
Data Source
AI summary
An aspect of the present disclosure generally relates to a wearable physiological device comprising: (a) a first housing assembly comprising: a first housing body; a first circuit assembly removably coupled to the first housing body; a user interface assembly communicatively connected to the first circuit assembly; and (b) a second housing assembly removably coupled to the first housing assembly, the second housing assembly comprising: a second housing body; a second circuit assembly removably coupled to the second housing body, the second circuit assembly comprising a set of physiological sensors; a removable battery disposed on the second circuit assembly; and a flexible connector communicatively connecting the second circuit assembly to the first circuit assembly, wherein the set of physiological sensors are configured for measuring physiological signals from a user wearing the wearable physiological device, the physiological signals communicable to the user interface assembly.