Position Measurement Patch With RF Energy Harvesting for Remote Care
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical systems require substantial staff and resources for patient measurements and care, limiting their availability and efficiency, especially during pandemics or resource constraints, and there is a need for remote monitoring and therapy without frequent visits.
Innovation Solution
A medical system utilizing smart screws with integrated microelectronics and sensors that measure musculoskeletal parameters, providing real-time data for orthopedic assessments, monitoring, and therapy, including wireless communication and energy harvesting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional office visits with staff-performed measurements are used, then measurement accuracy and direct patient care are improved, but staff time and resource consumption increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system enables patients to perform self-monitoring at home using wireless sensors and mobile devices, eliminating the need for staff to perform measurements during office visits. Patients can track their own health parameters continuously and share data with healthcare providers remotely.
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional manual measurement processes performed by staff are replaced with automated electronic sensors, wireless communication systems, and software applications that automatically collect, transmit, and analyze health data without requiring physical presence of medical personnel.
2Reliability
If frequent office visits are required for monitoring and therapy, then patient care quality is improved, but resource availability and patient convenience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous monitoring of patient health parameters in the home environment through wearable or implantable sensors that continuously collect data and transmit it to healthcare providers, replacing intermittent office visits with ongoing remote surveillance that maintains care quality while freeing up clinical resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement system serves multiple functions including continuous health monitoring, remote patient management, therapy delivery, and data analysis, allowing a single system to replace multiple separate processes and reduce the need for frequent specialized office visits.
3Loss of information
If multiple staff members perform different measurements during office visits, then comprehensive patient assessment is improved, but resource consumption and measurement time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines multiple measurement functions (vital signs monitoring, activity tracking, therapy delivery) into a single integrated wireless measurement system that can be worn by the patient, consolidating what previously required multiple staff members and separate measurement devices into one unified solution.
Solution Approach 2:
Wireless sensors and mobile computing devices serve as intermediaries between the patient and healthcare providers, automatically collecting comprehensive measurement data and transmitting it to providers for review, eliminating the need for multiple staff members to manually perform and document each measurement.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system comprising a patch device and a computer. The patch device is in communication with the computer. The patch device is configured for generating measurement data or providing a therapy. The patch device comprises electronic circuitry, a battery, an antenna system, one or more sensors, an IMU (inertial measurement unit), and a flexible enclosure. The antenna system can comprise a dual antenna formed on a dielectric substrate with a first antenna on a first side of the dielectric substrate and a second antenna on a second side of the dielectric substrate. The one or more sensors can comprise devices configured to provide measurement data or a therapy. The IMU is configured to measure position, movement, and trajectory of the patch device. The electronic circuitry is configured to harvest energy from one or more radio frequency signals received by the antenna system to recharge the battery.