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Plug-and-play, single-chip photoplethysmography.

Authors :
Chandrasekar D
Arnetz B
Levy P
Basu AS
Source :
Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference [Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc] 2012; Vol. 2012, pp. 3243-6.
Publication Year :
2012

Abstract

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) relies on low-cost, low-power, wearable sensors for continuous physiological assessment. Photoplethysmographic (PPG) sensors generally require >10 components, occupy an area >300 mm(2), consume >10 mW power, and cost >$20 USD. Although the principle of PPG sensing is straightforward, in practice, a robust implementation requires a careful design including optical alignment, analog circuits, ambient light cancellation, and power management. This paper reports the first use of digital optical proximity sensors (OPS) for "plug-and-play" PPG. OPS have traditionally been used for distance sensing in smartphones and factory automation. Here we show that a digital OPS can perform PPG functions in a single 4×4 mm package which also provides a direct digital interface to a microcontroller. By exploiting its key features, a digital OPS can provide substantial performance advantages over existing state-of-the-art PPGs, including: i) 10X lower power consumption (200 µW) due to pulse operation; ii) high signal to noise ratio (>90), as a result of built-in optical barriers, filters, and ambient light cancellation; iii) 10X lower cost ($2 USD); and iv) 12X smaller area. We show single wavelength PPG measurements in multiple anatomical locations, including fingertips and earlobes. The results suggest that a digital OPS can provide an elegant solution for battery-powered, wearable physiological monitors. To the authors' knowledge, this is the smallest and lowest power PPG sensor reported to date.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2694-0604
Volume :
2012
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
23366617
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1109/EMBC.2012.6346656