Non-contact Physiological Sensor Array with Intermediary Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensors for detecting sweat gland activity require direct contact with the skin, which is inconvenient and prone to motion artefacts due to movement, limiting their effectiveness in monitoring physiological parameters.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising multiple sensors with different sensitivities and positions relative to the skin, including proximity and temperature sensors, to detect physiological parameters like sweat gland activity without direct contact, using materials such as graphene oxide and boron nitride, and providing a parameter profile for quantification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors are positioned in direct contact with the skin to measure physiological parameters, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to inconvenience and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance or layer between the sensor and the skin surface. This intermediary allows the sensor to detect physiological parameters (such as sweat composition) without requiring direct skin contact, thereby maintaining measurement precision while significantly improving user comfort and ease of operation. The intermediary acts as a mediator that transfers the physiological signal from the skin to the sensor.
2Measurement precision
If sensors are positioned in direct contact with the skin to measure physiological parameters, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to motion artefacts
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing an intermediary layer between the sensor and skin, the system eliminates direct mechanical coupling that causes motion artefacts. The intermediary absorbs or dampens mechanical disturbances while allowing physiological signals (such as volatile organic compounds or moisture) to pass through to the sensor, thereby maintaining detection accuracy while significantly improving measurement stability and reliability during movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical contact-based sensing with a non-contact or minimal-contact sensing mechanism. Instead of relying on direct physical contact between the sensor and skin (which is susceptible to motion artefacts), the system uses chemical or physical properties of intermediaries (such as gas-phase detection or optical sensing) to measure physiological parameters, thereby eliminating motion-related reliability issues while preserving measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors with different sensitivities are used to capture dynamic range, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions into a single integrated sensor or sensor array that can simultaneously detect multiple physiological parameters or detect the same parameter across different concentration ranges. This merging approach maintains the ability to capture comprehensive parameter profiles with high precision while reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for separate sensors for each sensitivity level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs universal sensors or sensor materials that can operate across a wide dynamic range and detect multiple types of physiological signals. These multi-functional sensors eliminate the need for specialized sensors for different sensitivity requirements, thereby maintaining measurement precision across various conditions while significantly simplifying the overall device architecture.
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
Enables accurate and comfortable detection of sweat gland activity and other physiological parameters, reducing motion artefacts and improving convenience by allowing non-contact measurement with a dynamic range that captures both high and low concentrations.
Implementation Method 1
It is known to measure sweat gland activity using sensors which measure galvanic skin response
Implementation Method 2
The apparatus may comprise at least one proximity sensor configured to detect the distance between the user's skin and at least one of the plurality of sensors
Implementation Method 3
The apparatus may comprise a temperature sensor
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, method and computer program where the apparatus comprises: a plurality of sensors (3, 5) configured to detect a physiological parameter: wherein at least one first (5) sensor is configured to have a first sensitivity to the physiological parameter and at least one second sensor (3) is configured to have a second sensitivity to the physiological parameter; such that a parameter profile, comprising a plurality of measurements of the physiological parameter at different is provided by the apparatus.