title: Central arterial pulse waveform acquisition with a portable pen-like optical fiber sensor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pulse waveform features related to cardiovascular pathologies and arterial stiffness have been extensively studied, and optical fiber sensors have been studied with an aim to simplify the pulse waveform acquisition in the carotid artery. In this paper, a novel optical fiber sensor to record pulse waveform in the carotid artery has been proposed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The pulse waveform optical fiber sensor design, based on fiber Bragg gratings, is presented. The probe was characterized, and its response to controlled waveforms was studied. Finally, tests were performed on human subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The developed sensor has a displacement sensitivity of 21.2 pm/μm, with ability to detect the carotid pulse wave in the neck surface, with a resolution of 1.3 mmHg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed a new technological approach for acquisition of the central pulse waveform.
authors.affiliation: aI3N, University of Aveiro bDepartment of Physics, University of Aveiro cInstituto de Telecomunicações, Aveiro dInstituto de Telecomunicações and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon eSchool of Health, University of Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cátia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leitão
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: João L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bastos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult