Wearable Biosensor Core Temperature Estimation via Ensemble Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring core body temperature are invasive, impractical for continuous monitoring outside critical care settings, and often require human intervention, balancing invasiveness with accuracy and precision.
Innovation Solution
A wearable sensor system that measures ambient and patient condition data using multiple sensors to estimate core body temperature through an ensemble method combining trained models and meta-models, processing contextual and instantaneous parameters with bias and trend correction to improve accuracy and confidence in estimates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive probes (pulmonary arterial or esophageal catheter) are used to measure core body temperature, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to invasive placement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses skin temperature sensors as an intermediary measurement point to infer core body temperature. Instead of directly measuring core temperature through invasive probes, the system measures skin temperature and uses machine learning models to estimate core temperature, thereby avoiding the complexity of invasive procedures while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical invasive probe placement system with a non-invasive wearable sensor system combined with computational algorithms. The mechanical complexity of probe insertion and positioning is substituted by electronic sensors and software-based temperature estimation, significantly improving ease of operation.
2Reliability
If invasive catheters (urinary bladder or rectal) are used for continuous body temperature monitoring, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen due to continuous human intervention requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable sensor system is designed to autonomously monitor body temperature without requiring continuous human intervention. The sensor automatically collects skin temperature data, and the embedded machine learning models continuously process this data to estimate core temperature, enabling self-service continuous monitoring that eliminates the need for repeated manual probe placements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous temperature monitoring by maintaining constant contact with the patient through a wearable sensor that continuously collects data. The machine learning models continuously process this stream of data to provide ongoing core temperature estimates, ensuring uninterrupted monitoring without the discontinuities introduced by manual probe replacement.
3Ease of operation
If oral or axillary thermometers are used for body temperature measurement, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision and continuous availability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical thermometers with a wearable electronic sensor system that continuously monitors skin temperature and uses machine learning to estimate core temperature. This substitution maintains the ease of operation (wearable, non-invasive) while dramatically improving measurement precision through continuous data collection and advanced algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses skin temperature as an intermediary measurement that is easy to obtain non-invasively, then employs machine learning models as a computational mediator to translate this easy-to-measure skin temperature into an accurate estimate of core body temperature, thereby achieving both ease of operation and measurement precision.
4Measurement precision
If pulmonary arterial or esophageal catheter is used for continuous core temperature measurement, then measurement precision and continuous availability are improved, but ease of operation and adaptability worsen due to bedside restriction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses skin temperature sensors as a portable intermediary measurement point that can be placed anywhere on the body, eliminating the need for invasive central venous or esophageal access. This allows continuous core temperature estimation to be performed at any location, not just in bedside critical care settings, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the immobile, bedside-restricted invasive catheter system with a portable wearable sensor system. The electronic sensor and computational platform can be used in diverse settings including ambulatory care, home monitoring, and sports medicine, significantly expanding the adaptability and versatility of continuous core temperature monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to a device, system, and method for determining patient body temperature based on a multi-modal wearable biosensor applied to the surface of the body that measures multiple physiological, physical, and skin-surface/microclimatic thermal parameters, derives additional instantaneous parameters, learns contextual parameters based on temporal dynamics, and employs ensemble model fusion method to estimate core body temperature.