Wearable Sensor Array for Continuous Auscultation Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing auscultation methods require clinical expertise and manual intervention, making it difficult to acquire consistent and high-quality body sounds for remote monitoring, especially from hard-to-reach areas like the back, and are not feasible for continuous, unassisted monitoring at home.
Innovation Solution
A wearable monitoring device with a sensor array integrated into a garment, such as a vest, that automatically detects and aligns with cardiac and pulmonary auscultation sites, allowing for continuous, passive monitoring without expert intervention, using a combination of sensors like microphones, accelerometers, and piezoelectric elements, and noise cancellation techniques, and connects to a control unit for data analysis and transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional stethoscope is used for auscultation, then the device is simple and easy to operate, but it requires clinical expertise and manual intervention to acquire consistent and high-quality body sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the auscultation task into multiple sensor components distributed across the garment, with each sensor targeting specific body regions. This allows automatic acquisition of high-quality auscultation data from multiple sites simultaneously without requiring expert manual positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring device enables patients to perform self-auscultation at home without requiring clinical expertise. The system automatically detects and records body sounds from predetermined sites, making the complex task of obtaining quality auscultation data accessible to non-experts.
2Reliability
If manual auscultation by medical professionals is performed, then high-quality data can be acquired, but it is not feasible for continuous monitoring and requires expert help
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, intermittent manual auscultation to dynamic continuous automatic monitoring. Sensors continuously detect body sounds and automatically transmit data, enabling reliable monitoring without requiring medical professionals to be present.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual stethoscope application with an automated sensor array integrated into a wearable garment. This substitution enables continuous automatic monitoring while maintaining data reliability through multiple sensor placements and signal processing algorithms.
3Measurement precision
If sensors are placed at specific auscultation sites, then measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to sensor array and alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable garment serves multiple functions: it positions multiple sensors at predetermined auscultation sites, provides continuous contact with the body, and enables automatic data acquisition. This multi-functionality justifies the increased device complexity by integrating sensor placement, signal acquisition, and data transmission in a single system.
4Productivity
If continuous passive monitoring is implemented, then productivity of monitoring is improved, but it requires sophisticated sensor integration and automatic alignment capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-positioning sensors at predetermined auscultation sites during garment manufacturing. This preliminary configuration enables continuous passive monitoring without requiring complex real-time alignment mechanisms, as sensors are already positioned correctly when the garment is worn.
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 reliable, continuous, and unassisted acquisition of high-quality auscultation data from both the front and back, providing contextual information for improved diagnosis and tele-monitoring capabilities, including the detection of heart, lung, and bowel sounds without the need for patient cooperation or expert assistance.
Implementation Method 1
the sensors are arranged to detect body surface vibrations for auscultation monitoring
Implementation Method 2
A garment, such as a vest, which is provided with at least one sensor array... capable of acquiring consistent, good quality auscultation sounds
Data Source
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AI summary
A monitoring device comprising a garment, which comprises an array of sound or vibration sensors arranged to monitor bodily functions of the wearer.