title: Non-contact respiratory monitoring system using a ceiling-attached microwave antenna.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Management Systems Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 6-6 Asahigaoka, Hino, Tokyo, 191-0065, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uenoyama
authors.forename: Takemi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Kouske
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Bonpei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Takase
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Mitsuyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawakami
mesh_terms: 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