title: Counting heartbeats at a distance.
abstract: In the present paper, we propose a new pulse measurement methodology based on thermal imaging (contact-free). The method capitalizes both on the thermal undulation produced by the traveling pulse as well as the periodic expansion of the compliant vessel wall. The paper reports experiments on 34 subjects, where it compares the performance of the new pulse measurement method to the one we reported previously. The measurements were ground-truthed through a piezo-electric sensor. Statistical analysis reveals that the new imaging methodology is more accurate and robust than the previous one. Its performance becomes nearly perfect, when the vessel is not obstructed by a thick fat deposit.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Computer Science, University of Houston, Texas 77204-3010, USA. nsun@cs.uh.edu
authors.forename: Nanfei
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ionnis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D010092:Oximetry / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*