UWB Radar Thoracic Fluid Detection for Heart Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting worsening heart failure, such as weight gain and dyspnea, are unreliable and often develop too late in the disease progression to change outcomes, leading to increased morbidity and hospitalizations.
Innovation Solution
A mobile bodily monitoring system using ultra-wideband radar that collects reflected backscatter data to determine reflection coefficients and fluid level content in lung tissue, allowing for non-invasive and continuous monitoring of thoracic fluid levels and spatial distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current identification methods (weight gain and dyspnea) are used to detect worsening heart failure, then the monitoring process is simple, but the reliability is poor and detection is too late
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/symptom-based detection methods (weight gain, dyspnea) with electromagnetic radar technology to detect thoracic fluid levels. The UWB radar system uses radio waves to measure changes in the thoracic cavity, providing objective, continuous monitoring that is both reliable and can detect early changes before symptoms manifest.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary measurement approach by detecting fluid levels in the thoracic cavity through radar reflections. Instead of directly measuring heart function or relying on patient symptoms, the system uses thoracic fluid as an intermediary indicator that correlates with heart failure status, enabling indirect but accurate detection.
2Loss of time
If current identification methods are used, then the monitoring approach is straightforward, but the timing is too late to change outcomes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary detection of worsening heart failure by continuously monitoring thoracic fluid levels before symptoms like dyspnea or weight gain occur. The radar system can detect fluid accumulation early in the disease progression timeline, allowing intervention before the condition becomes severe and irreversible.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous monitoring of thoracic fluid levels through the UWB radar system. Unlike intermittent symptom checking, the system provides ongoing detection that captures early changes in real-time, ensuring that worsening heart failure is identified at the optimal moment for intervention.
3Measurement precision
If UWB radar system with multiple antenna pairs is used, then the measurement precision and early detection capability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monitoring function into multiple antenna pairs, with each pair responsible for detecting reflections from specific tissue interfaces. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high measurement precision through parallel processing of multiple signals while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the UWB radar system to perform multiple functions: detecting thoracic fluid levels, monitoring tissue interfaces, and identifying respiration cycles. By making the system multi-functional, the patent justifies the increased device complexity through the ability to detect multiple parameters simultaneously, improving overall measurement precision.
4Productivity
If UWB radar system is used for continuous monitoring, then the productivity and early identification capability are improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic transmission of UWB pulses rather than continuous operation. The system transmits pulses at optimized intervals to capture respiration cycles and fluid level changes, achieving high productivity in early detection while minimizing energy consumption by keeping the system quiet between measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the system to detect respiration cycles and identify when to transmit pulses based on the body's natural rhythms. This self-service approach allows the system to automatically optimize its measurement timing without external intervention, improving productivity while reducing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary transmissions.
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 provides accurate and timely detection of thoracic fluid levels and spatial distribution, enabling early identification of worsening heart failure and potentially reducing hospitalizations and healthcare costs.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting ultra-wideband radio frequency pulses and analyzing the backscattered waves
Implementation Method 2
collecting sets of reflected backscatter data for a sequence of ultra-wideband (UWB) pulses transmitted
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2D
AI summary
Various examples related to mobile bodily monitoring using ultra-wideband radar are provided. In one example, a method for determining a bodily characteristic includes collecting sets of reflected backscatter data for a sequence of ultra-wideband (UWB) pulses transmitted via an UWB sensor, and a corresponding calibration measurement from a calibration channel; determining reflection coefficients for each tissue interface based on the sets of reflected backscatter data; and determining a fluid level content of the lung tissue based upon the reflection coefficients. The reflection coefficients can be determined from reflection profiles based upon the reflected backscatter data for that sequence of UWB pulses and the corresponding calibration measurement. The UWB sensor can include an array of transmit (TX) and receive (RX) antenna pairs positioned on a body of a user. The reflection profile can be associated with a model of tissue layers in the body between the UWB sensor and lung tissue.