Wearable light-guiding devices for physiological monitoring

1. A monitoring device configured to be attached to the body of a subject, comprising:

an outer layer and an inner layer secured together, the inner layer comprising light transmissive material, and having inner and outer surfaces;

a base secured to at least one of the outer and inner layers and comprising at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector;

a layer of cladding material near the outer surface of the inner layer; and

at least one window formed in the layer of cladding material that serves as a light-guiding interface to the body of the subject, wherein the light transmissive material is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector, wherein the light transmissive material is configured to deliver light from the at least one optical emitter to the body of the subject along a first direction and to collect light from the body of the subject and deliver the collected light in a second direction to the at least one optical detector, wherein the first and second directions are substantially parallel.

2. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one window is oriented substantially parallel with a light emitting surface of the at least one optical emitter.

3. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one window is oriented substantially parallel with a light detecting surface of the at least one optical detector.

4. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer and/or inner layer comprises adhesive in one or more locations that is configured to adhesively secure the device to the body of the subject.

5. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the light transmissive material comprises a lens region in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter that focuses light emitted by the at least one optical emitter.

6. The monitoring device of claim 1 , further comprising a light reflective material on at least a portion of one or both of the inner and outer surfaces of the inner layer, wherein the at least one optical detector comprises first and second optical detectors, and further comprising a signal processor, and wherein at least a portion of light reflected by the light reflective material and detected by the second optical detector is processed by the signal processor as a motion noise reference for attenuating motion noise from signals produced by the first optical detector.

7. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device further comprises at least one optical filter configured to selectively pass at least one optical wavelength for transmission into the body of the subject, wherein the at least one optical detector comprises first and second optical detectors, and further comprising a signal processor, and wherein at least a portion of light not passed by the optical filter and detected by the second optical detector is processed by the signal processor as a motion noise reference for attenuating motion noise from signals produced by the first optical detector.

8. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a signal processor configured to receive and process signals produced by the at least one optical detector.

9. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a transmitter configured to transmit signals processed by the signal processor to a remote device.

10. The monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one window comprises at least two windows, and further comprising light blocking material positioned between the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector such that the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector are not in direct optical communication with each other.

11. A monitoring device configured to be attached to the body of a subject, comprising:

a first layer comprising light transmissive material, the first layer having inner and outer surfaces;

a base secured to the first layer and comprising at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector;

a layer of cladding material near the inner and outer surfaces of the first layer; and

at least one window formed in the layer of cladding material that serves as a light-guiding interface to the body of the subject, wherein the light transmissive material is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector, and is configured to deliver light from the at least one optical emitter to the body of the subject along a first direction and to collect light from the body of the subject and deliver the collected light in a second direction to the at least one optical detector, wherein the first and second directions are substantially parallel.

12. The monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one window is oriented substantially parallel with a light emitting surface of the at least one optical emitter.

13. The monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one window is oriented substantially parallel with a light detecting surface of the at least one optical detector.

14. The monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein the first layer comprises adhesive in one or more locations that is configured to adhesively secure the device to the body of the subject.

15. The monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein the light transmissive material comprises a lens region in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter that focuses light emitted by the at least one optical emitter.

16. The monitoring device of claim 11 , further comprising a light reflective material on at least a portion of one or both of the inner and outer surfaces of the first layer, wherein the at least one optical detector comprises first and second optical detectors, and further comprising a signal processor, and wherein at least a portion of light reflected by the light reflective material and detected by the second optical detector is processed by the signal processor as a motion noise reference for attenuating motion noise from signals produced by the first optical detector.

17. The monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein the monitoring device further comprises at least one optical filter configured to selectively pass at least one optical wavelength for transmission into the body of the subject, wherein the at least one optical detector comprises first and second optical detectors, and further comprising a signal processor, and wherein at least a portion of light not passed by the optical filter and detected by the second optical detector is processed by the signal processor as a motion noise reference for attenuating motion noise from signals produced by the first optical detector.

18. The monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein the base comprises a signal processor configured to receive and process signals produced by the at least one optical detector.

19. The monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein the base comprises a transmitter configured to transmit signals processed by the signal processor to a remote device.

20. The monitoring device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one window comprises at least two windows, and further comprising light blocking material positioned between the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector such that the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector are not in direct optical communication with each other.