Pressure Sensor Vital Sign Detection With External Impact Filtering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing non-invasive vital sign measurement technologies are affected by external impacts, leading to inaccurate data collection, and there is a need for a method to filter out these undesired effects to obtain precise physiological data.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using pressure sensors placed on the skin surface to measure micron-sized movements, generating a pressure variation profile, and analyzing this data to identify predetermined signatures and extract time stamps, which are correlated with internal physiological events, using geometric invariants like Cartan curvatures to filter out noise and determine vital signs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If non-invasive pressure sensors are used to measure vital signs, then patient comfort and ease of operation are improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to external impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (mattress or pillow) between the patient and the pressure sensors. This mediator transmits the mechanical signals from the patient's body movements to the sensors while isolating the sensors from direct contact with the patient, thereby maintaining patient comfort while enabling accurate measurement of vital signs through the intermediate transmission medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful external impacts and noise from the measured signal using signal processing techniques. By separating the desired physiological signals from the unwanted external disturbances, the system maintains measurement precision while continuing to use non-invasive sensing methods.
2Measurement precision
If signal processing filters are applied to remove external impacts, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical signal filtering mechanisms with mathematical and computational signal processing methods. Instead of using physical filters or mechanical dampers, the system uses algorithms to identify and remove external impacts from the pressure sensor data, thereby achieving high measurement precision without adding mechanical complexity to the device.
3Measurement precision
If multiple pressure sensors are deployed to improve measurement reliability, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensing area into multiple segments or zones with pressure sensors distributed throughout. Each sensor monitors a specific region, and the collective data from all segments provides comprehensive coverage for accurate vital sign measurement. This segmentation approach improves measurement reliability by distributing the sensing function across multiple simple units rather than using a single complex sensor.
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 precise and reliable non-invasive measurement of vital signs by filtering out external impacts, allowing for continuous monitoring without direct patient attachment, and providing clinically relevant information on cardiovascular and intracranial pressure.
Implementation Method 1
sampling pressure applied on the external surface of the subject, namely the skin
Implementation Method 2
analyzing this data to identify predetermined signatures and extract time stamps, which are correlated with internal physiological events, using geometric invariants like Cartan curvatures
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
The present invention discloses a system and method for determining at least one vital sign of a subject. The system includes a plurality of pressure sensors configured to be placed in a vicinity of the subject's body, and configured and operable to sense movements of skin of the subject's body within at least one region on the skin and generate sensing data corresponding to the at least one region; the sensing data comprising a plurality of measured signals being indicative of a common physiological event differentiated in time and intensity from one another and a control unit in data communication with each of pressure sensors of the plurality of pressure sensors; the control unit comprising an analyzer processing utility configured and operable to receive the sensing data corresponding to each of the at least one region; generate, for the pressure sensors associated with each of the at least one region, a pressure variation profile for the region; identify therein one or more predetermined signatures indicative of at least one physiological event of the subject; generate signature data thereof; extract at least one time stamp from the signature data; and generate vital sign data indicative of at least one vital sign of the subject based thereon.