PATIENT-WORN WIRELESS PHYSIOLOGICAL SENSOR
A wireless, patient-worn, physiological sensor configured to, among other things, help manage a patient that is at risk of forming one or more pressure ulcers is disclosed. According to an embodiment, the sensor includes a base having a top surface and a bottom surface. The sensor also includes a substrate layer including conductive tracks and connection pads, a top side, and a bottom side, where the bottom side of the substrate layer is disposed above the top side of the base. Mounted on the substrate layer are a processor, a data storage device, a wireless transceiver, an accelerometer, and a battery. In use, the sensor senses a patient's motion and wirelessly transmits information indicative of the sensed motion to, for example, a patient monitor. The patient monitor receives, stores, and processes the transmitted information.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A system comprising:
a wearable device comprising:
a housing comprising an interior;
a base configured to secure the housing to a chest of the subject, the base comprising a foam material and an adhesive material configured to adhere to skin of the subject's chest, the base configured to insulate a portion of the subject's skin when the base is secured to the subject's chest;
a circuit board positioned within the interior of the housing;
a battery positioned within the interior of the housing adjacent said circuit board;
an inertial measurement unit positioned within the interior of the housing and coupled to the circuit board, the inertial measurement unit configured to generate a first set of signals responsive to acceleration of the subject and a second set of signals responsive to angular velocity of the subject;
a temperature sensor positioned within the interior of the housing and coupled to the circuit board, the temperature sensor configured to generate one or more signals responsive to thermal energy radiating from the portion of the subject's skin insulated by the base; and
a thermally conductive material positioned below the circuit board and said temperature sensor, said thermally conductive material configured to transmit said thermal energy toward said temperature sensor; and
one or more processors configured to receive and process said first and second sets of signals generated by said inertial measurement unit to determine orientation of the subject relative to a bed when the subject is laying in said bed, said one or more processors further configured to determine body temperature of the subject based on said one or more signals generated by said temperature sensor responsive to said thermal energy.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:
said first set of signals are responsive to acceleration of the subject relative to a roll axis, a pitch axis, and a yaw axis;
said second set of signals are responsive to angular velocity of the subject relative to said roll axis, said pitch axis, and said yaw axis; and
said roll axis corresponds to a longitudinal axis extending along a length of said subject's body, said pitch axis corresponds to hips of said subject, and said yaw axis corresponds to a horizontal plane in which said subject is located.
4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said wearable device further comprises a button on a portion of the housing, said button configured for changing a mode of the wearable device.
5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said wearable device further comprises an oximetry sensor for measuring oxygen saturation of the subject.
6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said wearable device further comprises an electrocardiogram sensor for monitoring cardiac activity of the subject.
7 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.
8 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a portable computing device, said portable computing device comprising said one or more processors and a wireless transceiver configured to receive, from a wireless transceiver of said wearable device, said first and second sets of signals generated by said inertial measurement unit and said one or more signals generated by said temperature sensor.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein said one or more processors are configured to determine a score indicative of a wellness state of the subject based upon at least said received one or more signals generated by said temperature sensor.
10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein said portable computing device is a patient monitor comprising said one or more processors, said wireless transceiver, a display, and a docking station configured to mechanically and electrically mate with another portable computing device.
11 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said wearable device comprises said one or more processors.
12 . A system comprising:
a wearable device comprising:
a housing comprising an interior;
a base configured to secure the housing to a chest of the subject, the base comprising a foam material and an adhesive material configured to adhere to skin of the subject's chest, wherein the base is configured to insulate a portion of the subject's skin when the base is secured to the subject's chest;
a circuit board positioned within the interior of the housing;
a battery positioned within the interior of the housing adjacent said circuit board;
a temperature sensor positioned within the interior of the housing and coupled to the circuit board, the temperature sensor configured to generate one or more signals responsive to thermal energy radiating from the portion of the subject's skin insulated by the base;
a thermally conductive material positioned below the circuit board and said temperature sensor, said thermally conductive material configured to transmit said thermal energy toward said temperature sensor; and
a sensor for determining at least one of heart rate and respiration rate of the subject based on vibrations emanating from the subject's chest; and
one or more processors configured to receive one or more signals generated based upon said vibrations emanating from the subject's chest and said one or more signals generated by said temperature sensor responsive to said thermal energy, said one or more processors further configured to determine a score indicative of a wellness state of the subject based upon said one or more signals generated based upon said vibrations and said one or more signals generated by said temperature sensor.
13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a portable computing device, said portable computing device comprising said one or more processors and a wireless transceiver configured to receive, from a wireless transceiver of said wearable device, said one or more signals generated based upon said vibrations and said one or more signals generated by said temperature sensor.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said portable computing device is a patient monitor comprising said one or more processors, said wireless transceiver, a display, and a docking station configured to mechanically and electrically mate with another portable computing device.
15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said wearable device further comprises an oximetry sensor for measuring oxygen saturation of the subject.
16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said wearable device further comprises an electrocardiogram sensor for monitoring cardiac activity of the subject.
17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said wearable device comprises said one or more processors.
18 . A system comprising:
a wearable device comprising:
a housing comprising an interior;
a base configured to secure the housing to skin of the subject;
a circuit board positioned within the interior of the housing;
an inertial measurement unit positioned within the interior of the housing and coupled to the circuit board, the inertial measurement unit configured to generate one or more signals responsive to at least one of acceleration and angular velocity of the subject;
a temperature sensor positioned within the interior of the housing and coupled to the circuit board, the temperature sensor configured to generate one or more signals responsive to thermal energy radiating from a portion of the subject's skin underneath the base; and
a thermally conductive material positioned below the circuit board and said temperature sensor, said thermally conductive material configured to transmit said thermal energy toward said temperature sensor; and
one or more processors configured to receive and process said one or more signals generated by said inertial measurement unit to determine at least one of orientation and movement of the subject, said one or more processors further configured to determine body temperature of the subject based on said one or more signals generated by said temperature sensor responsive to said thermal energy.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein said wearable device further comprises an oximetry sensor for measuring oxygen saturation of the subject and an electrocardiogram sensor for monitoring cardiac activity of the subject.
20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein said base is configured to secure the housing to skin of the subject's chest, and wherein said wearable device is configured to determine at least one of heart rate and respiration rate of the subject based on vibrations emanating from the subject's chest.
21 . The system of claim 18 , wherein said one or more processors are configured to receive and process said one or more signals generated by said inertial measurement unit to determine an amount of time the subject is in a supine position, a left side position, and a right side position.