Skin-Mounted Temperature Sensor With Wireless Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for measuring core body temperature, such as tympanic, oral, and rectal measurements, are bulky, require adult handling, and are not suitable for continuous, unsupervised monitoring, causing patient discomfort and infection risks, and lack user-triggered notifications.
Innovation Solution
A sensor system with a stacked layer structure comprising a first layer in thermal contact with the organism, an insulating second layer, and a user input sensor for notifications, capable of continuous temperature measurement and analysis, utilizing energy harvesting and wireless communication for autonomous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional rectal probes are used for continuous monitoring, then temperature measurement accuracy is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates and infection risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the temperature sensing function from invasive rectal probes and places it on a non-invasive skin-mounted sensor. The sensor system measures core temperature through skin contact without penetrating bodily barriers, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy while eliminating patient discomfort and infection risks associated with traditional rectal probes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary skin-mounted sensor system that mediates between the external environment and internal body temperature measurement. This intermediary device uses thermal conduction through skin tissue to infer core temperature without direct contact with internal organs, resolving the contradiction between accurate measurement and patient comfort.
2Measurement precision
If tympanic or oral measurement methods are used, then temperature measurement is achieved, but the apparatus becomes bulky and requires adult handling
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables self-service operation through a simplified skin-mounted sensor that can be independently applied and used by patients without adult assistance. The sensor automatically measures temperature and provides feedback, eliminating the need for bulky apparatuses requiring adult handling while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical measurement systems (tympanic probes, oral thermometers) with a simplified electronic sensor system that uses electrical and thermal fields for measurement. This substitution enables miniaturization and eliminates the need for bulky apparatuses, allowing easy patient operation.
3Productivity
If continuous monitoring is implemented without user notification, then temperature data is collected continuously, but the system lacks user-triggered alerts to caretakers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements feedback mechanisms where the continuous temperature monitoring system provides real-time alerts to users and caretakers when abnormal temperatures are detected. The system continuously collects data and automatically notifies relevant parties, ensuring both continuous monitoring and timely information delivery without requiring separate manual intervention.
4Measurement precision
If conventional temperature monitoring methods are used, then measurement is possible, but the methods are not suited for manually unsupervised monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a self-service monitoring system where the sensor automatically adheres to the skin, continuously measures temperature, processes data locally, and communicates results without requiring manual supervision. The system performs all operations autonomously, maintaining measurement accuracy while enabling unsupervised use in home or outpatient settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a universal sensor system that combines multiple functions (temperature sensing, data processing, wireless communication, and alert generation) into a single device. This multi-functional design enables the system to operate autonomously without supervision while maintaining accurate temperature measurement capability across different usage scenarios.
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 continuous, comfortable, and infection-free temperature monitoring with user notifications, allowing for early detection of fever and other health anomalies, and reducing reliance on battery power.
Implementation Method 1
a first layer (104) in thermal connection with the organism, a first temperature sensor (110) in thermal connection with the first layer (104) via the second layer (122)
Implementation Method 2
a user input sensor for triggering notifications placed above the second layer and susceptible for physical input or e.g. detection of a pattern of physical movements—like shake or tap
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for continuous readout is provided. sensor system with notification function and method for continuous and wireless monitoring and analysis of temperature in organisms The object of the invention is achieved by a contact surface for attaching to a surface of an organism, a sensor in thermal contact with the contact surface, a user input sensor, a radio chip operatively connected to the sensors, wherein the radio chip will respond to an induced signal from a reader by reading data from the sensors and transmit said data, and method for operating the sensors wherein the 0data from the sensors is compensated for environmental effects using comprising a second sensor for detecting at least one property from the group comprising ambient temperature, pressure, flow, level, proximity, displacement, bio, image, gas, chemical, acceleration, orientation, humidity, moisture, impedance, capacitance, force, electric, magnetic and mass, thus forming compensated data.