Wristband Skin Temperature Gradient Monitoring for Early Risk Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hospital monitoring systems for patients at risk of Serious Adverse Events (SAE) are inefficient due to interference between vital sign measurements, inconvenience, and high costs, particularly for post-ICU patients, where suboptimal ward care leads to missed early signs of deterioration.
Innovation Solution
A wristband device using infrared temperature sensors to measure skin temperature gradients between the wrist and finger, allowing continuous, non-interfering monitoring of peripheral tissue perfusion as a surrogate for systemic blood pressure, without blocking blood circulation or requiring tight physical contact, and integrating with pulse oximetry and ambient temperature sensors for accurate and reliable early risk recognition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a pressure cuff is used to measure blood pressure, then blood pressure measurement is achieved, but blood circulation is blocked or interfered with and mobility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pressure cuff system with an optical measurement system. The pulse oximeter uses light absorption properties of hemoglobin to detect blood pressure indirectly through pulse wave analysis, eliminating the need for mechanical inflation and deflation cycles that block circulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces pulse oximetry as an intermediary measurement method. Instead of directly measuring blood pressure with a cuff, the system measures pulse oxygen saturation and pulse wave characteristics, which serve as proxies to infer blood pressure status without physical obstruction.
2Reliability
If multiple sensors with wires are placed around the patient's body, then comprehensive monitoring is achieved, but the system becomes inconvenient and unhygienic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple monitoring functions into a single integrated pulse oximeter device. The device simultaneously measures pulse oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and pulse wave characteristics, replacing multiple separate sensors and wires with one unified tool that maintains comprehensive monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pulse oximeter is designed as a multi-functional device that performs various monitoring tasks: oxygen saturation measurement, blood pressure estimation, heart rate monitoring, and perfusion assessment. This universal approach eliminates the need for multiple specialized sensors and improves convenience.
3Productivity
If conventional monitoring systems are used, then vital signs are monitored, but early signs of deterioration are missed leading to cardiac arrests and prolonged hospitalization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous real-time feedback monitoring by analyzing pulse wave characteristics and oxygen saturation trends. The system provides ongoing assessment of perfusion status and blood pressure changes, enabling early detection of deterioration patterns before they lead to critical events.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of risk factors by continuously analyzing subtle changes in pulse wave morphology and oxygen saturation. This early warning capability allows healthcare providers to intervene before cardiac arrest or other critical events occur, improving patient outcomes.
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 early detection of risk phases through continuous, non-invasive monitoring with minimal interference, providing accurate, fast, and energy-efficient risk recognition, reducing the likelihood of cardiac arrests and prolonged hospitalization by alerting healthcare personnel to vital sign deviations.
Implementation Method 1
A wristband device using infrared temperature sensors to measure skin temperature gradients
Data Source
AI summary
A system for providing an early risk recognition monitoring by measurement of a peripheral tissue perfusion of a patient instead of clinically significant changes in systemic blood pressure and/or blood flow comprises a wristband device for gathering measurement data of the patient. The device measures a first temperature (t1) of the patient at the first wrist (or distal antebrachium) point and a second temperature (t2) of the patient at the second finger point, whereupon the system determines altered peripheral tissue perfusion by determining temperature gradient (Δt) between said first and second points. If the gradient (Δt) exceeds or deceeds a predetermined range, the system construes the exceeding as a peripheral vasoconstriction and the deceeding as a peripheral vasodilatation, and thereby provides a first early risk recognition phase (p1) and transmits it as a warning indication to end devices of health care personnel.