Wearable Health Monitoring Device With Sensor Patch And Control Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current remote patient monitoring systems face challenges in efficiently detecting transient health issues and reducing hospital readmissions, particularly in ambulatory patients, due to limitations in data accuracy and proper device placement, leading to increased healthcare costs and potential skin irritation.
Innovation Solution
A wearable health monitoring device with a sensor patch, control unit, and cap, featuring non-invasive and subdermal microsensors, that communicates data wirelessly and includes biometric authentication and algorithms for artifact rejection, enabling accurate health parameter monitoring and initiating countermeasures when threshold values are met, while ensuring proper device placement and reducing skin irritation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If non-invasive sensors are used for health monitoring, then patient comfort is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to skin interference and improper placement
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into modular components: a sensor patch with multiple sensors, a control unit, and a cap. This segmentation allows the sensors to be positioned optimally on the skin while keeping the processing unit separate, improving both comfort and measurement precision through proper functional distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system includes algorithms for artifact rejection and placement verification that execute before final data analysis. This preliminary action ensures that only properly placed sensors with clean signals are used, improving measurement precision without requiring invasive procedures.
2Reliability
If multiple sensors are integrated into a wearable device, then monitoring effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensors (ECG electrodes, temperature sensors, motion sensors) are integrated into a single sensor patch that adheres to the skin. This merging approach maintains comprehensive monitoring effectiveness while simplifying the overall device structure by consolidating multiple sensing functions into one wearable unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor patch serves multiple functions simultaneously: it monitors cardiac activity through ECG electrodes, tracks temperature, detects motion artifacts, and provides a platform for drug delivery. This multi-functionality improves monitoring reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If biometric authentication is implemented, then patient safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The biometric authentication system uses the patient's own physiological data (such as heart rate patterns or skin characteristics) that are already being collected by the sensors for monitoring purposes. This self-service approach improves patient safety through authentication while maintaining ease of operation, as no additional user action beyond normal device wear is required.
4Measurement precision
If artifact rejection algorithms are used, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of information increases due to potential rejection of valid data
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors signal quality metrics and provides feedback to adjust artifact rejection thresholds in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the system to distinguish between actual artifacts and valid physiological variations, improving measurement precision while minimizing information loss by adapting to the patient's specific physiological patterns.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
Devices and methods provided herein can enhance the operations and efficacy of a remote patient monitoring system. Such devices and methods include using a wearable monitoring device that may comprise non-invasive sensors as well as microsensors that are positioned subdermally in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the wearable health parameter monitoring devices include a disposable component and a reusable component that are electrically and mechanically coupled together to create a functioning monitor device.