Wearable Phased-Array Ultrasound for Continuous Blood-Flow Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring vascular perfusion and central organ health are invasive, labor-intensive, and require skilled personnel, with limitations including point-in-time measurements, high costs, and challenges in achieving both sufficient penetration depth and high spatial resolution.
Innovation Solution
A soft, wearable transducer array with phased array control mechanism that allows for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of blood flow velocity waveforms and central organs, utilizing a stretchable ultrasonic device with conformal contact and beam steering capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If Doppler ultrasound is used for vascular monitoring, then blood flow assessment is achieved, but highly trained personnel are required and measurements are intermittent
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device performs automatic vascular monitoring without requiring continuous human intervention or interpretation. The system self-calibrates and continuously tracks blood flow parameters autonomously, eliminating the need for highly trained personnel to perform manual Doppler assessments at scheduled intervals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical Doppler ultrasound technique with an automated electronic monitoring system. The wearable device uses electronic signal processing and automated algorithms to substitute the skilled operator's manual skills, enabling continuous unattended monitoring.
2Reliability
If traditional ultrasound machines are used, then vascular monitoring is performed, but the devices are large and require significant resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the traditional large ultrasound machine into a distributed wearable sensor network. Multiple small transducer elements are segmented across the body surface, each performing simple local measurements that are then aggregated to provide comprehensive vascular monitoring, replacing the need for a single large complex machine.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses flexible wearable transducer arrays that conform to the body surface, replacing rigid traditional ultrasound probes. These thin-film flexible sensors enable continuous monitoring without the bulk and complexity of conventional ultrasound equipment while maintaining vascular monitoring capability.
3Length of stationary object
If radiographic imaging is used for central organ monitoring, then penetration depth is sufficient, but spatial resolution is compromised and cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from cross-sectional radiographic imaging to continuous temporal monitoring in the time dimension. By placing wearable sensors at multiple locations and continuously tracking blood flow over time, the system achieves functional information about central organs without requiring deep penetrating radiation, thereby maintaining spatial resolution while reducing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses peripheral blood flow measurements as an intermediary to infer central organ function. Rather than directly imaging deep organs with penetrating radiation, the wearable device measures blood flow at accessible peripheral sites and uses physiological models to deduce central organ status, achieving both penetration and resolution requirements indirectly.
4Productivity
If intermittent point-in-time measurements are performed, then resource requirements are reduced, but continuous monitoring capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device enables continuous uninterrupted monitoring of blood flow parameters over extended periods. Unlike intermittent manual measurements, the system continuously tracks vascular health parameters in real-time, providing ongoing useful action without gaps that would require repeated resource deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs autonomous continuous monitoring without requiring repeated human intervention. Once deployed, the wearable device independently continues measurements over days or weeks, eliminating the need for periodic resource allocation while maintaining continuous monitoring capability.
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
Enables accurate, continuous, and user-independent monitoring of blood flow and central organ activities, reducing the need for skilled personnel and providing stable measurements across varying body postures, with enhanced signal-to-noise ratio and reduced user errors.
Implementation Method 1
blood flow velocity waveforms... measurement of the blood flow velocity waveform
Implementation Method 2
soft wearable transducer array for continuous, accurate, and noninvasive measurement... ultrasonic device
Implementation Method 3
phased array control mechanism facilitates focusing and steering the ultrasonic beam... enhancing the signal-to-noise-ratio
Data Source
AI summary
A method for monitoring a patient using an ultrasonic probe includes attaching a conformable two-dimensional piezoelectric transducer array having a plurality of phased array piezoelectric transducer elements on an epidermal surface of a patient so that the conformable two-dimensional piezoelectric transducer array conforms to a shape of the epidermal surface. The conformable two-dimensional piezoelectric transducer array is attachable to the epidermal surface by van der Waals forces alone. The plurality of phased array piezoelectric transducer elements is operated as a phased array to transmit a focused ultrasonic beam to a specified location in the patient to be monitored. Ultrasound waves are received from the patient using the array. An indication of the received ultrasound waves is displayed.