Deformable sensor with deformation feedback, and system and method using the same
A biomedical sensor is provided that includes a deformable body panel, a first ultrasonic transducer, a second ultrasonic transducer, and a displacement sensor. The first and second ultrasonic transducers are attached to, and the displacement sensor is in communication with, the deformable body panel. The biomedical sensor is disposable in at least one default configuration wherein the first and second ultrasonic transducers are disposed relative to one another in a known first spatial transducer configuration. The biomedical sensor is disposable in one or more deformed configurations wherein the first and second ultrasonic transducers are disposed relative to one another in a second spatial transducer configuration different than the first spatial transducer configuration. The at least one displacement sensor is configured to produce signal information indicative of a difference between the first and second spatial transducer configurations.
1 . A biomedical sensor for application to a skin surface of a subject, comprising:
a deformable body panel configured to be placed in contact with the skin surface of the subject;
at least one first ultrasonic transducer attached to the deformable body panel;
at least one second transducer attached to the deformable body panel; and
at least one displacement sensor in communication with the deformable body panel and configured to sense deformation of the deformable body panel;
wherein the biomedical sensor is disposable in a default configuration wherein the deformable body panel is disposed in a non-deformed state when the biomedical sensor is not applied to the skin surface of the subject, and in the non-deformed state the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer are disposed relative to one another in a known first spatial transducer configuration;
wherein the biomedical sensor is disposable in a deformed configuration in which the deformable body panel is applied to the skin surface of the subject and is deformed and wherein in the deformed configuration the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer are disposed relative to one another in a second spatial transducer configuration different than the known first spatial transducer configuration; and
wherein the at least one displacement sensor is configured to produce signal information indicative of a difference between the known first spatial transducer configuration and the second spatial transducer configuration.
2 . The biomedical sensor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one displacement sensor includes a plurality of displacement sensors configured to sense a difference between relative positions of the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer within the known first spatial transducer configuration, and relative positions of the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer within the deformed configuration.
3 . The biomedical sensor of claim 1 , wherein the biomedical sensor is configured to assume the default configuration when the biomedical sensor is at rest and not applied to the skin surface of the subject.
4 . The biomedical sensor of claim 1 , wherein the deformable body panel is a solid body.
5 . A biomedical system, comprising:
a biomedical sensor having a deformable body panel, at least one first ultrasonic transducer attached to the deformable body panel, at least one second transducer attached to the deformable body panel, and a displacement sensor in communication with the deformable body panel, wherein the displacement sensor is configured to sense deformation of the deformable body panel;
wherein the biomedical sensor is disposable in a default configuration wherein the deformable body panel is disposed in a non-deformed state when the biomedical sensor is not applied to a skin surface of a subject, and in the non-deformed state the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer are disposed relative to one another in a known first spatial transducer configuration;
wherein the biomedical sensor is disposable in a deformed configuration in which the deformable body panel is applied to the skin surface of the subject and is deformed and wherein in the deformed configuration the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer are disposed relative to one another in a second spatial transducer configuration different than the known first spatial transducer configuration; and
wherein the displacement sensor is configured to produce signal information indicative of a difference between the known first spatial transducer configuration and the second spatial transducer configuration; and
a controller in communication with the biomedical sensor and a memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed cause the controller to:
determine the difference between the known first spatial transducer configuration and the second spatial transducer configuration using the signal information from the displacement sensor; and
produce information representative of the relative positions of the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer within the deformed configuration using the determined difference.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the controller to produce information representative of the relative orientations of the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer within the deformed configuration using the determined difference.
7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one biomedical sensor is configured to assume the default configuration when the biomedical sensor is at rest and not applied to the skin surface of the subject.
8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the controller to produce information relating to blood vessel diameter, or pulse wave velocity, or both, using the information representative of the relative positions of the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer within the one or more deformed configurations.
9 . A method of using a deformable biomedical sensor, comprising:
providing a biomedical sensor having a deformable body panel, at least one first ultrasonic transducer attached to the deformable body panel, at least one second transducer attached to the deformable body panel, and a displacement sensor in communication with the deformable body panel, wherein the displacement sensor is configured to sense deformation of the deformable body panel, and wherein the biomedical sensor is disposable in a default configuration wherein the deformable body panel is disposed in a non-deformed state when at rest and prior to application to a skin surface of a subject, and in the non-deformed state the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer are disposed relative to one another in a known first spatial transducer configuration;
attaching the biomedical sensor to a skin surface of the subject in an applied configuration, wherein in the applied configuration the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer are disposed relative to one another in a second spatial transducer configuration;
using the displacement sensor to determine any difference between the first spatial transducer configuration and the second spatial transducer configuration; and
producing information representative of the relative positions of the at least one first ultrasonic transducer and the at least one second ultrasonic transducer within the deformed configuration using the determined difference.