Ultrasonic Monitoring for Respiratory Therapy Device Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Respiratory therapy delivery devices, such as nebulizers, face challenges in accurately controlling ultrasonic components and monitoring patient adherence due to variations in environmental and patient-specific conditions, affecting treatment outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a respiratory therapy delivery device, sensors, and processors that measure and characterize ultrasonic energy emitted during operation, allowing for real-time adjustments to optimize device performance and track patient adherence by determining energy amplitude and frequency characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ultrasonic components are used in respiratory therapy delivery devices, then aerosol generation efficiency is improved, but control accuracy deteriorates due to environmental and patient-specific variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs sensors to detect ultrasonic energy emissions from the nebulizer component and patient airway, feeding this information back to the controller. The controller adjusts operating parameters in real-time based on detected variations, maintaining control accuracy despite environmental and patient-specific conditions. This closed-loop feedback mechanism directly resolves the contradiction by allowing high ultrasonic power delivery while compensating for variations that would otherwise degrade control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operating parameters (such as ultrasonic power, frequency, and pulse duration) based on real-time detection of ultrasonic energy emissions and patient response. By adjusting these parameters adaptively, the system maintains optimal aerosol generation efficiency while compensating for environmental and patient-specific variations, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and control accuracy.
2Reliability
If real-time monitoring of ultrasonic energy is implemented, then patient adherence and treatment accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system serves multiple functions: detecting ultrasonic energy emissions from the nebulizer, monitoring patient airway ultrasonic signals, providing feedback for control adjustments, and tracking patient adherence. By consolidating these monitoring functions into a integrated sensor system, the patent improves treatment accuracy and reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity, as a single multi-functional sensing platform replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate systems.
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 controls and monitors the operation of respiratory therapy devices, ensuring accurate treatment delivery and improving patient adherence by continuously adjusting operating conditions based on measured ultrasonic energy parameters.
Implementation Method 1
The respiratory therapy delivery device may emit ultrasonic energy during operation. The sensor is configured to generate output signals representing one or more characteristics of the ultrasonic energy emitted by one or both of the respiratory therapy delivery device and/or the airway of the subject.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for delivering therapy and/or medicament to a subject use one or more sensors to generate signals that represent characteristics of ultrasonic energy emitted during the use of respiratory medicament delivery devices. Parameters based on these signals indicate energy amplitude in one or more frequency ranges. Such parameters can be used to characterize the emitted ultrasonic energy and control and/or monitor device operation and/or patient adherence.