Modular physiological sensors
Modular physiological sensors that are physically and/or electrically configured to share a measurement site for the comfort of the patient and/or to ensure proper operation of the sensors without interference from the other sensors. The modular aspect is realized by providing outer housing shapes that generally conform to other physiological sensors; mounting areas for attachment of one sensor to another sensor; providing release liners on the overlapping sensor attachment areas; and/or providing notches, tabs or other mechanical features that provide for the proper placement and interaction of the sensors.
1. A modular physiological sensor comprising:
an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor comprising a stem, a left branch and a right branch;
the left branch and the right branch extending generally perpendicularly from the stem so as to form a branch intersection, wherein the branch intersection includes a left corner defined by an intersection of the left branch and the stem of the EEG sensor and a right corner defined by an intersection of the right branch and the stem of the EEG sensor;
a plurality of EEG electrodes disposed along the left branch and the right branch;
a ground electrode and a reference electrode disposed proximate the branch intersection;
a first mounting zone extending outwardly along an edge of the left corner of the branch intersection and configured for removable attachment of a first regional oximetry (rO2) sensor, said first rO2 sensor comprising a first edge including a first outline shape; and
a second mounting zone extending outwardly along an edge of the right corner of the branch intersection and configured for removable attachment of a second rO2 sensor, said second rO2 sensor comprising a second edge including a second outline shape;
wherein the first mounting zone is shaped to match at least a portion of said first outline shape; and
wherein the second mounting zone is shaped to match at least a portion of said second outline shape.
2. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first mounting zone accommodates a first rO2 sensor head having a first pair of light emitting and light detecting elements and the second mounting zone accommodates a second rO2 sensor head having a second pair of light emitting and light detecting elements.
3. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the first mounting zone is marked with a first curved line generally indicating a first shape of the first rO2 sensor head, and wherein the second mounting zone is marked with a second curved line generally indicating a second shape of the second rO2 sensor head.
4. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 3 , wherein the first mounting zone comprises a first release layer so that the first rO2 sensor head removably attaches to the first mounting zone, and wherein the second mounting zone comprises a second release layer so that the second rO2 sensor head removably attaches to the second mounting zone.
5. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 4 , wherein:
the first rO2 sensor head has a first plurality of notches that accommodate a first curved surface and the second rO2 sensor head has a second plurality of notches that accommodate a second curved surface;
the first mounting zone has a first plurality of notch markings that generally align with the first plurality of notches so as to aid placement of the first rO2 sensor and the second mounting zone has a second plurality of notch markings that generally align with the second plurality of notches so as to aid placement of the second rO2 sensor.
6. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 2 , wherein a skin-side surface of the EEG sensor is colored black so as to prevent the EEG sensor from reflecting light emitted from the first and second rO2 sensor heads.
7. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second rO2 sensor heads are egg-shaped.
8. A brain analysis sensing method comprising:
mounting an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor on a forehead tissue site, the EEG sensor including a stem, a left branch, and a right branch, wherein the left branch and the right branch extend generally perpendicularly from the stem so as to form a branch intersection, the branch intersection including a left corner defined by the intersection of the left branch and the stem of the EEG sensor and a right corner defined by the intersection of the right branch and the stem of the EEG sensor;
mounting a first regional oximetry sensor on the forehead tissue site so as to at least partially overlap a first portion of the EEG sensor, the first portion extending outwardly along an edge of the left corner of the branch intersection, the first regional oximetry sensor comprising a first edge including a first outline shape; and
mounting a second regional oximetry sensor on the forehead tissue site so as to at least partially overlap a second portion of the EEG sensor, the second portion extending outwardly along an edge of the right corner of the branch intersection, the second regional oximetry sensor comprising a second edge including a second outline shape;
wherein the first portion of the EEG sensor is shaped to match at least a portion of said first outline shape; and
wherein the second portion of the EEG sensor is shaped to match at least a portion of said second outline shape.
9. The brain analysis sensing method according to claim 8 , further comprising marking the first portion and the second portion on the EEG sensor for placement of the first and second regional oximetry sensors.
10. The brain analysis sensing method according to claim 9 , further comprising providing a release liner on the first portion and the second portion for aiding removal of the regional oximetry sensors.
11. The brain analysis sensing method according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second regional oximetry sensors are egg-shaped.
12. The brain analysis sensing method according to claim 11 , further comprising indicating on the marked first portion and the marked second portion the location of notches on head portions of the regional oximetry sensors.
13. A brain analysis sensor comprising:
an electrical sensor configured to passively measure an EEG signal, the electrical sensor comprising a generally T shape including a first mounting zone positioned along an edge of a left side of a vertical middle of the T shape and a second mounting zone positioned along an edge of a right side of the vertical middle of the T shape;
an optical sensor configured to detect an oxygen saturation; and
a placement guide configured to aid with the partial overlapping of a first portion of the optical sensor having a first outline shape atop either the first mounting zone or the second mounting zone of the electrical sensor, wherein at least one of the first mounting zone and the second mounting zone is shaped to match at least a portion of said first outline shape; and
wherein a second portion of the optical sensor is configured to attach to a skin surface.
14. The brain analysis sensor according to claim 13 , wherein the placement guide comprises a marking configured to designate the partial overlapping.
15. The brain analysis sensor according to claim 14 , wherein the marking comprises at least a partial duplication of the optical sensor shape on the electrical sensor.
16. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 13 , wherein the optical sensor is egg-shaped.
17. A modular physiological sensor comprising:
a first electronics useful for measuring a first physiological parameter;
a mounting system configured to mount the first electronics to a patient measurement site, wherein the mounting system comprises a stem, a left branch, and a right branch, the left branch and the right branch extending in opposite directions along a transverse axis generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis running along a centerline of the stem; and
a first mounting zone on the mounting system located on a left side of the stem of the mounting system, the first mounting zone extending away from an edge of the left branch in a first direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stem and extending away from an edge of the stem in a second direction substantially parallel to the transverse axis, wherein the first mounting zone is shaped and physically configured to receive and position a first outline shape of a first physiological sensor; and
a second mounting zone on the mounting system located on a right side of the stem of the mounting system, the second mounting zone extending away from an edge of the right branch in a third direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stem and extending away from an edge of the stem in a fourth direction substantially parallel to the transverse axis, wherein the second mounting zone is shaped and physically configured to receive and position a second outline shape of a second physiological sensor.
18. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first and second physiological sensors comprise electronics that are different from the first electronics, and wherein the first and second physiological sensors are configured for measuring a physiological parameter different from the first physiological parameter.
19. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first and second mounting zones are marked with a line generally indicating the first outline shape of the first physiological sensor or the second outline shape of the second physiological sensor.
20. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first and second mounting zones each comprise a release layer so that the first and second physiological sensors removably attach to the first and second mounting zones.
21. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 17 , wherein:
the first physiological sensor includes a first plurality of notches and the second physiological sensor includes a second plurality of notches; and
the first mounting zone includes a first plurality of notch markings that generally align with the first plurality of notches in order to aid sensor placement, and the second mounting zone includes a second plurality of notch markings that generally align with the second plurality of notch markings in order to aid sensor placement.
22. The modular physiological sensor according to claim 17 , wherein the first and second physiological sensors are egg-shaped.