Wearable Cardiac Response Mechanisms With Force-Threshold Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable medical devices struggle to accurately and reliably register patient inputs, particularly from individuals with reduced strength or motor skills, leading to potential unintentional actuation of treatment delivery in critical situations.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of force sensors and force-activated switches in wearable medical devices to monitor and verify patient inputs through specific force thresholds, allowing for a failsafe override of treatment delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If simple touch controls are used in wearable medical devices, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of input registration deteriorates due to unintentional actuation
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary verification by detecting force magnitude and duration before registering a patient input. The control unit monitors the force sensor signals and only registers an input after confirming that the applied force meets predetermined thresholds and duration requirements, preventing unintentional actuation while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring force sensor signals and providing real-time verification of patient inputs. The control unit analyzes the magnitude and duration of applied force, and only registers the input after confirming it meets predetermined criteria, ensuring reliable input registration while maintaining ease of operation.
2Reliability
If force thresholds are set high to prevent unintentional actuation, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates for patients with reduced strength
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary verification by detecting both force magnitude and duration before registering a patient input. The control unit monitors the force sensor signals and only registers an input after confirming that the applied force meets predetermined thresholds and duration requirements, preventing unintentional actuation while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its verification criteria based on the characteristics of the applied force. By considering both the magnitude and duration of force application, the system can distinguish between intentional patient inputs and unintentional actuations, allowing patients with reduced strength to operate the device reliably.
3Reliability
If multiple verification steps are implemented, then reliability of input registration is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary verification by detecting force magnitude and duration before registering a patient input. The control unit monitors the force sensor signals and only registers an input after confirming that the applied force meets predetermined thresholds and duration requirements, preventing unintentional actuation while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing force sensor infrastructure to perform self-verification of patient inputs. The control unit analyzes the force sensor signals itself, determining whether the applied force meets predetermined criteria for registration, eliminating the need for additional complex verification hardware.
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
Enhances the reliability of patient input registration, ensuring intentional and accurate responses, particularly for patients with reduced strength or motor skills, thereby preventing unnecessary treatment delivery.
Implementation Method 1
Each touch control includes a force sensor. The wearable medical device includes a processor configured to monitor, over a predetermined period of time, for a user input based on signals from the at least one touch control, where the monitoring includes analyzing a first signal from the at least one touch control to identify application of a user force at the force sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable medical device is provided for monitoring the cardiac health of a patient, for example, for indications of cardiac anomalies, where the device includes ECG sensors in electrical contact with the patient's body, therapy electrodes for providing electrical therapy to the patient's heart, and a control unit having at least one touch control with force sensor disposed on its housing for contacting with a finger. Signals from the touch control may be analyzed to identify force application below a first force threshold and at or above a second force threshold below the first force threshold, and, responsive to detecting such application of force, user input may be registered. User inputs to the at least one touch control may be used to delay therapy by the therapy electrodes.