Non-contact respiratory monitoring system using a ceiling-attached microwave antenna.
Using a microwave antenna attached to the room ceiling, we conducted non-contact monitoring of respiratory chest wall motions of subjects in bed and covered by a soft comfortable bedding, to measure the vital signs of patients under nursing care in a welfare institution. Long-term vital sign monitoring using electrodes places a heavy burden on monitored individuals. Our non-contact respiratory monitoring system comprises a 1,215 MHz-microwave radar (LDR-1), antenna box attached to the ceiling, and personal computer with analyzing software. The system was tested on eight healthy volunteers (mean age, 25 years; range, 21-44 years) and eight elderly volunteers with some disorders (mean age, 69 years; range, 66-75 years). Respiratory rates of subjects measured using this system correlated with rates measured using respiration sensors (r=0.97, P<0.001 for healthy volunteers, r=0.98, P<0.0001 for elderly volunteers). The system could monitor subtle changes in respiratory rate, and monitoring respiratory rate increases caused by disorders such as pneumonia will be possible.
Uenoyama
Maki
M
Department of Management Systems Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 6-6 Asahigaoka, Hino, Tokyo, 191-0065, Japan.
Matsui
Takemi
T
Yamada
Kouske
K
Suzuki
Satoshi
S
Takase
Bonpei
B
Suzuki
Shinya
S
Ishihara
Masayuki
M
Kawakami
Mitsuyuki
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008872:Microwaves; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011825:Radar / Q000295:instrumentation; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013686:Telemetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods