Optical Blood Pressure Measurement via Transparent Inflatable Cuff
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blood pressure measurement methods, particularly for home use, lack accuracy and require trained personnel, with optical blood pressure sensors showing minimal market adaptation due to mechanical interference and non-uniform pressure application.
Innovation Solution
A system using an optical blood motion sensor with a gas-sealable and inflatable cuff, featuring a flexible and optically transparent sealing barrier and a rigid restrictor, allows non-contact measurement of blood pressure by illuminating the biological tissue through the cuff and restrictor, enabling accurate systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurement without direct contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional optical sensor is placed in direct contact with biological tissue for blood pressure measurement, then measurement accuracy improves, but mechanical interference and non-uniform pressure application increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optically transparent cuff as an intermediary element between the optical sensor and the biological tissue. The cuff transmits optical signals while applying uniform pressure to the tissue, eliminating direct mechanical contact between the sensor and tissue. This resolves the contradiction by allowing accurate optical measurement without mechanical interference, as the cuff acts as a mediator that decouples the sensing mechanism from the pressure application mechanism.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid restrictor is used to apply uniform pressure, then pressure distribution uniformity improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible optically transparent cuff that can be inflated to apply uniform pressure. The flexible nature of the cuff allows it to conform to the tissue surface and distribute pressure evenly, while its optical transparency maintains signal transmission. This approach achieves pressure uniformity without requiring complex rigid mechanical structures, resolving the contradiction between pressure stability and device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If direct contact measurement is used, then ease of operation is maintained, but user safety and comfort decrease due to mechanical interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct mechanical contact-based pressure measurement with an optical measurement system. The optical sensor detects blood flow characteristics through the transparent cuff without mechanical contact, substituting mechanical sensing with optical sensing. This maintains operational simplicity while eliminating harmful mechanical interference, improving user safety and comfort.
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
This approach reduces mechanical interference, allows for uniform pressure distribution, and provides accurate blood pressure readings by correlating internal cuff pressure with measured blood motion signals, enhancing user safety and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
light emitted by the laser is scattered by the innermost-region-disposed biological tissue after traversing both the interior of the gas-sealable inflatable chamber and the FOT section of the inner ring; the tissue-scattered laser light is received by the light detector
Implementation Method 2
operating a laser and a light detector so that: i. light emitted by the laser is scattered by the innermost-region-disposed biological tissue
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems of optically measuring systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure of a mammal having biological tissue are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the system comprises an optical blood motion sensor, a gas-sealable inflatable cushion having a flexible and transparent (FOT) barrier section, and an optical blood motion sensor comprising a laser. When pressure (e.g. at least systolic pressure) illuminates the tissue, laser light may pass en route to the tissue through the FOT sealing barrier section of the gas-sealable inflatable cushion as well as cushion interior. In some embodiments, a rigid restrictor comprising an optically transparent section is provided, and laser light also passes through the optically transparent section of the rigid restrictor en route to the biological tissue.