Recording central blood flow velocity waveform by conformal ultrasonic devices

项目摘要 该项目旨在开发一种软可穿戴传感器阵列，用于连续、准确和非接触式测量。 血流速度波形的有创测量。血流速度波形可以提供关键的 主要器官活动和精神状态变化的信息，这将有助于提高患者 提高认识，协助预防保健，并作为个性化医疗的基础。常规 测量协议包括导管植入，这是侵入性的和有风险的，和多普勒超声检查， 其严重依赖于用户并且经常具有错误和伪像。这项研究不同于现有的 方法，因为它提供了几个独特的功能。首先，由于其低调的外形因素， 超声波装置能够连续测量血流速度波形，而不会收缩 主体的自然运动。其次，该装置具有与人类皮肤相似的机械性能， 因此，可以实现与皮肤的适形和紧密接触，这允许精确和稳定地 测量.第三，相控阵列控制机构便于聚焦和操纵超声波 光束在任何位置与预定义的入射角，这提高了信噪比，并消除 手动操作的用户错误。为此，通过结合材料科学，机械设计， 电子集成，我们将使用实验的迭代设计，以了解和优化 单个超声换能器的性能。然后，我们将在一个平台上开发相控阵控制机制， 可穿戴平台实现超声波束聚焦和转向。在此之后，我们将整合可伸缩的 换能器阵列配合相控阵控制电路，实现连续准确的血液记录 流速波形这项拟议中的研究是第一次使用柔软的，可拉伸的系统， 诊断和监测皮肤下的深层组织。舒适、无创的血流的可用性 监测设备将对相关疾病的诊断和治疗方式产生根本性影响， 这将对临床实践产生直接影响。这种可穿戴设备也将转移公众 感知血流监测，促进预防保健，并提供前所未有的数据流 医疗专业人员，这将转化为相关死亡率和医疗保健的显着降低 成本 !

PROJECT SUMMARY This proposed project aims to develop a soft wearable transducer array for continuous, accurate, and non- invasive measurement of blood flow velocity waveforms. The blood flow velocity waveform can provide critical information about the major organ activities and psychiatric state changes, which would help raise patient awareness, assist preventive care, and serve as the basis for personalized medicine. Conventional measurement protocols include catheter implants, which is invasive and risky, and Doppler ultrasonography, which is heavily user-dependent and often has errors and artifacts. This research is distinct from the existing methods, because it offers several unique features. First, due to its low-profile form factors, the wearable ultrasonic device enables continuous measurement of the blood flow velocity waveform without constricting the natural movement of the subject. Second, this device has similar mechanical properties to the human skin and therefore can achieve a conformal and intimate contact with the skin, which allows accurate and stable measurements. Third, the phased array control mechanism facilitates focusing and steering the ultrasonic beam at any locations with predefined incident angles, which enhances the signal-to-noise-ratio and removes user errors for manual operations. Towards that end, by combining materials science, mechanical design, and electronics integration, we will use an iterative design of experiments to understand and optimize the performance of a single ultrasonic transducer. Then, we will develop phased array control mechanism on a wearable platform to achieve ultrasonic beam focusing and steering. After that, we will integrate the stretchable transducer array with the phased array control circuit to achieve continuous and accurate recording of blood flow velocity waveforms. The proposed research is the first of its kind to use a soft, stretchable system to diagnose and monitor deep tissues under the skin. The availability of a comfortable, non-invasive blood flow monitoring device will make a fundamental difference in how related diseases are diagnosed and treated, which will have a direct impact on the clinical practices. This wearable device will also shift the public perception of blood flow monitoring, promote preventive care, and provide unprecedented data streams for medical professionals, which will translate into significant reductions in associated mortality and healthcare costs. !