Bolus Sensor Gas-Tight Space for Rumen Pressure Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting subacute rumen acidosis (SARA) in livestock are either invasive, prone to errors due to microbiological colonization of sensors, or provide indirect and uncertain measurements, lacking precise detection of gastric pressure and motility.
Innovation Solution
A device designed as a bolus with a gas-tight interior and elastic material, equipped with pressure and motion sensors, which remains permanently in the stomach, allowing for long-term telemetric monitoring of gastric pressure, temperature, and movement, independent of the animal's overall movement, and transmits data externally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If a sensor is placed in the rumen for continuous measurement, then the pH value can be continuously monitored, but the sensor becomes microbiologically colonized and develops its own microenvironment over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gas-tight intermediate space between the sensor and the rumen environment. This intermediate space acts as a barrier that prevents direct contact between the sensor and rumen contents, thereby preventing microbiological colonization while still allowing pressure measurements to be transmitted from the rumen to the sensor through the elastic wall.
2Ease of operation
If an acceleration sensor is used to measure organ movement, then the movement of the animal can be detected, but the movements of the animal are also detected making clear conclusions about organ movement impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the specific function of measuring pressure changes caused by organ movement from the general acceleration sensor function. By using a pressure sensor that specifically detects pressure variations within the gas-tight space, the system isolates the measurement of gastric motility from the detection of overall animal movement, enabling precise organ movement detection.
3Measurement precision
If a piezoelectric sensor element is used to detect stomach movement, then bending of the sensor generates detectable signals, but pressure changes in the organ are not detected unless they cause deformation of the sensor element
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the elastic wall of the gas-tight space as an intermediary that transmits pressure changes from the stomach to the pressure sensor. This intermediary mechanism allows the sensor to detect pressure variations without requiring direct contact or deformation by the organ itself, thereby enhancing detection capability while maintaining measurement precision.
4Measurement precision
If rumenocentesis is performed to sample rumen juice, then pH values can be determined, but the values are mixed with saliva making them higher than actual rumen pH
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the measurement function from the rumen juice sampling process entirely. Instead of measuring pH directly in the rumen juice (which is contaminated with saliva), the system measures pressure changes in a gas-tight space that is isolated from the rumen contents, thereby eliminating saliva contamination while maintaining measurement capability.
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 reliable, continuous, and precise monitoring of gastric pressure and motility, reducing the risk of microbiological interference and providing clear health insights, including heat detection, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing economic losses.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor that is set up to detect a pressure in the gas-tight interior space
Implementation Method 2
a wall of the gas-tight interior space having an elastic material or an elastic area that can be deformed by the pressure in the stomach
Implementation Method 3
a telemetric device for transmitting measured values
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device for permanently detecting the gastric pressure, the gastric temperature, the gastric motility and the movement of a livestock animal, in particular a ruminant, comprising a, for example, bolus-shaped body (14), said body (14) comprising the following components: a pressure sensor (9), a telemetric device (9) for transmitting measuring values, and a gas-tight interior space (12), wherein a wall of the gas-tight interior space (12) comprises in some regions an elastic material which is deformable by the gastric pressure of a livestock animal, and wherein the pressure sensor (9) is designed to detect the pressure in the gas-tight interior space (12). According to the invention, said device is designed such that it permanently remains in the stomach of the livestock animal when it is applied to the livestock animal.