Pregnancy Monitoring Belt With Touch Event Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pregnancy monitoring systems using wearable sensors are prone to false readings due to external touch events, which interfere with the accuracy of fetal activity detection.
Innovation Solution
A pregnancy monitoring system that includes an abdomen belt with sensors and a processor to detect proximity and touch events by determining the distance between a device worn on the hand or wrist and the sensors, using inertial measurement units (IMUs) and touch sensors to disregard false data from external touches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sensors are placed on the abdomen to monitor fetal activity, then fetal movement detection capability is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates when the mother touches her abdomen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (smartwatch or other wearable) that acts as a mediator to detect when the mother's hand approaches or touches the abdomen. This intermediary detects touch events through proximity sensing or direct contact sensing, allowing the system to identify and exclude contaminated fetal activity measurements without requiring the abdominal sensors themselves to be touch-resistant.
2Reliability
If the monitoring system continuously monitors fetal activity, then monitoring reliability is improved, but false readings increase due to external touch interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the wearable device continuously communicates with the abdominal sensor system to provide real-time information about hand proximity or touch events. When a touch event is detected, the system receives feedback to disregard the corresponding sensor readings, thereby maintaining reliable monitoring by excluding false data caused by maternal touches.
3Measurement precision
If the system uses multiple sensors to improve monitoring accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring system into two independent components: abdominal sensors for fetal activity detection and a separate wearable device for touch detection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the abdominal sensors focus solely on fetal movement while the wearable handles touch detection, reducing overall system complexity compared to making the abdominal sensors themselves multi-functional and complex.
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 filters out false data from external touches, ensuring accurate monitoring of fetal movement and growth by disregarding sensor signals during such events, thereby providing reliable pregnancy information.
Implementation Method 1
an alternative is to use near field communication between the device and the sensors in order to determine more directly a distance between them
Implementation Method 2
the processor is configured to detect a possible touch event by determining that the direction of acceleration detected by an IMU of the array of IMUs is towards the fetus
Data Source
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AI summary
A pregnancy monitoring system comprises an abdomen belt comprising at least one sensor for positioning against the abdomen of a pregnant woman. The signals captured by the at least one sensor are processed by a processor, which determines a proximity of a device worn on the hand or wrist of the pregnant woman relative to the at least one sensor. A signal is then provided to indicate a possible touch event when a distance between the device and the at least one sensor is below a threshold.