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Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Volume 189, 15 January 2013, Pages 328-334.
Yi-Yuan Chiu, Wan-Ying Lin, Hsin-Yao Wang, Song-Bin Huang, Min-Hsien Wu.
Graduate Institute of Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, ROC.
School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, ROC.
Abstract
This study reports a piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer-based sensor patch for simultaneous heartbeat and respiration detections. The principle is based on the piezoelectric sensing mechanism to detect the pulsatile vibrations, and periodical deformations on the chest wall of human body during heartbeats and respirations, respectively. In this study, the sensor patch with a structurally curved PVDF film was designed, and fabricated. The role of the curved structure design to enhance detection signals, and the capability of the sensor to faithfully detect the heartbeats and respirations were experimentally evaluated. Results revealed that the design of curved structure of PVDF film was capable of increasing detection signal by 151% for the respiration measurements compared with its flat counterpart. Moreover, the sensor was proved to be able to generate the heartbeat and respiration signals which were in concordance with those based on a commercial electrocardiogram (ECG), and respiratory effort transducer, respectively. Finally, the heart rate and respiratory rate measured through the sensor patch were proved to have no statistical significance compared with the reference data obtained from the ECG, and respiratory effort transducer-based detections, respectively. As a whole, this study has developed a PVDF-based sensor patch which was capable of monitoring the heartbeats and respirations with high fidelity. Other distinctive features include its small size, light weight, ease of use, low cost, and portability. All these make it a promising sensing device to monitor heartbeats and respirations either in medical centers, or home care units.
Additional Information
We presented a piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer-based sensor patch capable of monitoring the heartbeats and respirations with high fidelity. The principle is based on the piezoelectric sensing mechanism to detect the vibrations, and periodical deformations on the chest wall of human body during heartbeats and respirations, respectively. This product also features in small size, light weight, ease of use, low cost, and portability. All these make it a useful sensing device to detect heartbeats and respirations either in medical centers, or home care units.
