Development of low-cost, compact fibre optic O2 and CO2 gas sensors for COVID-19 applications of portable metabolic analyzers

此次合作的目标是研究和开发廉价的光学技术，采用现成的组件，以提高便携式代谢分析仪的性能并降低成本。便携式代谢分析仪是一种可穿戴传感器，能够测量肺部的氧气消耗和二氧化碳产生，这是人体生理和健康的关键指标。便携式代谢分析仪至少有两种与COVID-19相关的潜在应用。首先，它们可用于在医院外对COVID-19患者进行实时监测。其次，它们可以与开放式呼吸机回路一起使用，在通气过程中提供生物反馈，这是减少通气不足或过度通气可能性的重要能力。便携式代谢分析仪在应用于此类应用之前必须克服两个障碍。首先，便携式代谢分析仪过于昂贵，无法大规模使用；市场上最便宜的版本是VO2 Master卖的5000美元的版本。其次，这些分析仪需要使用压缩气体容器定期重新校准，限制了它们的易用性。

The goal of this partnership is to research and develop inexpensive optical technologies adapted from off-the-shelf components to improve the performance and reduce the cost of portable metabolic analyzers. Portable metabolic analyzers are wearable sensors capable of measuring oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production in the lungs, key indicators of human physiology and human health. There are at least two potential COVID-19 related applications of portable metabolic analyzers. First, they can be used to provide real-time monitoring of COVID-19 patients outside of the hospital setting. Second, they can be used in conjunction with open ventilator circuits to provide biofeedback during ventilation, an important capability to reduce the possibility of hypo- or hyper-ventilation. There are two obstacles associate with portable metabolic analyzers which must be overcome before they can be used in such applications. First, portable metabolic analyzers are too expensive for wide-scale use; the cheapest version on the market is the USD 5000 version sold by VO2 Master. Second, these analyzers require regular recalibration using compressed gas containers, limiting their ease of use. This project will explore the feasibility of a fibre-optic gas sensor for detecting oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations under metabolically relevant conditions. The advantages of a fibre-based detector include its small size, absence of electrical interference, remote-sensing capabilities, and low cost. Fibre-optic sensors can be constructed from off-the-shelf components (such as LEDs, photodetectors, and optical fibres) and are thus readily prototyped and could potentially be applied in single-use applications, eliminating the need for costly recalibration required by conventional sensors. Researchers at UBC Okanagan will construct a fibre-based gas sensor prototype, which will be tested, calibrated, and integrated into a portable face-worn mask in collaboration with technical staff from VO2 Master.