Life sign detection and health state assessment system
Inventors
Sims, Nathaniel M. • Colquitt, Nhedti • Wollowitz, Michael • Hickcox, Matt • Dempsey, Michael • HOYT, Reed J. • Buller, Mark J. • AMES, John S.
Assignees
General Hospital Corp • United States Department of the Army • US Army Medical Research and Development Command
Publication Number
US-9687195-B2
Publication Date
2017-06-27
Expiration Date
2024-11-03
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Abstract
A wearable platform embodied in a belt or patch provides physiological monitoring of soldiers during field operations or trauma victims at accident sites and makes health state assessments. The platform includes sensors for heart rate, body motion, respiration rate and intensity, and temperature and further contains a microprocessor and short range transmitter. An analog circuit running an algorithm obtains the R-wave period from the EKG signal and produces electrical pulses with the period between pulses corresponding to the R-wave period. A rule based processing engine having an evaluation algorithm is capable of making a medical evaluation of subject condition and determines a confidence level for the evaluation. The rules are subject to variation depending upon the subject population. The information is communicated wirelessly to a local hub for relay to a remote monitor.
Core Innovation
The invention is a life signs detection system comprising a wearable platform embodied in a belt or patch to provide physiological monitoring and make health state assessments during field operations or accident scenarios. The system integrates sensors for heart rate, body motion, respiration rate and intensity, and temperature, coupled with a microprocessor and a short range transmitter. A rule-based processing engine executes a health state assessment algorithm that performs medical evaluations of the subject's condition and determines a confidence level for these evaluations, using rule sets adaptable to different subject populations.
The system enables continuous health state assessments based on direct and indirect vital signs, such as heart rate, respiration, motion, orientation, and temperature. It simulates an on-site clinician's assessment remotely by substituting visual observations with sensor data, processed by medically-derived rules. The integration of sensors, real-time processing, and wireless communication enables triage decisions remotely with confidence, including health state classifications color-coded for ease of interpretation.
The problem addressed is the lack of a reliable, economical, and practical system for remotely monitoring multiple wounded soldiers or trauma victims in chaotic environments, such as battlefields or accident sites. Existing devices are designed for low-mobility patients in controlled settings or for athletes and pilots in predictable environments, often transmitting raw detailed data unsuited for large-scale, low-bandwidth, and remote triage. There has been a long-standing need for a wearable system capable of determining with confidence whether a subject is alive or dead, and further assessing likelihood and nature of injury to facilitate efficient medical response and to reduce unnecessary casualties among rescuers.
Claims Coverage
The claims define a life signs detection system with multiple inventive features focused on wearable physiological monitoring, health state evaluation, and remote communication integration.
Wearable platform with multi-sensor physiological monitoring and processing
The system includes wearable platforms with sensors for heart rate, body motion, respiration rate via motion detection, and temperature. A processor executes a health state assessment algorithm comprising rule sets to provide medical evaluation and decision confidence scores based on sensor data.
Rule processing engine with adaptable rule sets
The processing engine performs medical evaluation and confidence determination based on subject personal baseline dependent rule sets and tabulated parameter values. The rule sets vary based on general characteristics of subject populations and include tabulated interpretation rules, boundary conditions, and abnormal values for personal baselines.
Wireless communication architecture with local hubs and remote base stations
Local hubs receive local sensor data from wearable platforms via short range RF, accept connections from external displays, and transmit data to remote base stations. The wearable platform includes a short range, low bandwidth RF transmitter, and the local hub comprises short range and medium or long range transmitters with processors to relay and process data.
Respiration rate sensor employing deformation transducer
The respiration sensor includes a deformation transducer with a flexible, variable resistance element coupled to a compliant backing whose resistance varies with radius of curvature changes caused by chest or abdomen expansion and contraction during respiration.
Health state assessment algorithm with confidence scoring and color coding
The processor executes an algorithm calculating health state classifications with color coding and corresponding decision confidence scores. The algorithm supports estimates of injury likelihood and nature, outputting color-coded health state data displayed on external interfaces.
User-modifiable rule set based on clinical experience
The rule set applied by the processing engine can be modified by a user to reflect clinical experience for tailoring assessments.
In summary, the claims cover a multi-sensor wearable physiological monitoring system with an adaptable, rule-based processing engine that performs medical evaluations with confidence scoring, employing a unique respiration sensor and integrated wireless communication via local hubs and remote stations, facilitating remote health state assessments and triage with user-configurable rule sets.
Stated Advantages
Enables reliable, confident determination of a subject's health state, including alive, injured, or dead, facilitating remote triage decisions.
Reduces risk to rescuers by identifying hopeless cases remotely to avoid unnecessary rescue attempts.
Combines multiple sensor modalities synergistically to improve health state assessment accuracy.
Provides real-time, low bandwidth processed output reducing communication demands in field environments.
Allows customizable rule processing to accommodate different subject populations and clinical needs.
Integrates continuous data trending and confidence scoring to enhance diagnostic certainty.
Documented Applications
Monitoring of wounded soldiers during battlefield operations for remote triage and health assessment to guide medical intervention.
Triage of multiple trauma victims at accident sites to prioritize medical response efficiently.
Use in chaotic non-military situations such as ambulances and emergency vehicle operations overwhelmed by multiple injured subjects.
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