I-Corps: Wireless Vital Signs Monitoring

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种无线的、类似皮肤的生命体征监测器，在提供临床分级数据的同时，最大限度地提高患者的舒适性和移动性。目前监测患者生命体征的临床标准包括将患者物理地拴在多个传感器上，并将电线连接到床边监护仪。这些系统给那些参与护理流的人带来了一些缺点，包括患者、提供者和支付者。目前的有线系统通常不用于家庭中的详细监控。它们是患者行动的障碍，并导致皮肤刺激和感染。该项目的价值主张是通过允许患者不受限制的活动和防止皮肤损伤来提高护理质量和缩短住院时间，同时为准确诊断患者提供关键数据。此外，无线系统的开发将使医院的监测设备具有灵活性，并具有巨大的潜力来改善低资源或家庭环境中的护理。这个i-Corps项目将进一步开发一个灵活的、可伸展的无线传感器平台，可以在广泛的潜在医疗应用中改善对患者生命体征的监测。该传感器由一个由柔性柔性衬底支撑的超薄纳米膜电极组成。该传感器灵活、可伸展的特性使其能够与患者的皮肤进行保形接触，并可高分辨率测量多个生命体征，以监控心脏、大脑和肌肉活动。这些无线测量可用于在医院或家庭环境中监控患者。随着机器学习方法的实施，组合多个高分辨率信号模式将提高诊断准确性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to develop a wireless, skin-like vital signs monitor that provides clinical grade data while maximizing patient comfort and mobility. The current clinical standard for monitoring patient vital signs consists of physically tethering the patient to multiple sensors with wires connected to a bed-side monitor. These systems present a number of drawbacks for those involved in the care stream, including patients, providers, and payers. The current wired systems are not typically used for detailed monitoring at home. They are a barrier to patient mobility and lead to skin irritation and infection. The value proposition of this project is to improve quality of care and shorten hospital stays by permitting uninhibited patient mobility and preventing skin injury while providing critical data to accurately diagnose patients. Additionally, the development of a wireless system will enable flexibility in monitoring equipment for hospitals and has significant potential to improve care in low-resource or at-home settings.This I-Corps project will further develop a flexible, stretchable wireless sensor platform which can improve monitoring of patient vital signs in a wide array of potential healthcare applications. The sensor consists of an ultrathin nanomembrane electrode supported by a soft flexible substrate. The flexible, stretchable nature of the sensor enables conformal contact with a patient's skin and high-resolution measurement of multiple vital signs to monitor heart, brain, and muscle activity. These wireless measurements can be used to monitor patients in hospital or at-home settings. Combining multiple high-resolution signal modalities will improve diagnostic accuracy as machine learning methods are implemented.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.