Self-Powered Multiparameter Health Sensor

Abstract

Wearable health sensors are about to change our health system. While several technological improvements have been presented to enhance performance and energy-efficiency, battery runtime is still a critical concern for practical use of wearable biomedical sensor systems. The runtime limitation is directly related to the battery size, which is another concern regarding practicality and customer acceptance. We introduced ULPSEK-Ultra-Low-Power Sensor Evaluation Kit-for evaluation of biomedical sensors and monitoring applications (http://ulpsek.com). ULPSEK includes a multiparameter sensor measuring and processing electrocardiogram, respiration, motion, body temperature, and photoplethysmography. Instead of a battery, ULPSEK is powered using an efficient body heat harvester. The harvester produced 171 W on average, which was sufficient to power the sensor below 25 C ambient temperature. We present design issues regarding the power supply and the power distribution network of the ULPSEK sensor platform. Due to the security aspect of self-powered health sensors, we suggest a hybrid solution consisting of a battery charged by a harvester.

Sensor, Signal, and Imaging Informatics in 2017

“…Despite numerous advances, battery runtime remains a critical limitation for the practical use of wearable sensors. Tobola et al described a “self-powered” sensor platform that incorporates an efficient body heat harvester 10 . Coronary heart disease is a leading cause ofpremature death worldwide, and there is a growing demand for a reliable system to detect critical cardiac abnormalities that lead to sudden death.…”

Design and Development of a Modular, Multichannel Photoplethysmography System

“…For instance, by integrating the vital sign monitoring module into the system, other physiological signals such as the ECG, temperature, and respiration can be acquired on-demand. This ability to acquire raw PPG signals from multiple sites and at multiple wavelengths along with other physiological signals is a distinct advantage over the integrated solutions described for instance in [20]- [25]. Another example of the system's flexibility is the newly developed fiber optic TIA module that connects with traditional PPG sensors and/or fiber optic sensors [29].…”

“…Hence, in the absence of a multiwavelength PPG system that can produce raw PPG signals and other physiological signals on-demand, researchers have resolved in custom building their own research systems. One of the many examples of such systems is the Ultra-Low-Power Sensor Evaluation Kit developed by Tobola et al [20] to measure ECG, respiration, motion, body temperature, and PPG. Other examples of such systems include [21]- [23].…”

Patient-Centered Design Method for Self-Powered and Cost-Optimized Health Monitors

“…In [26], Tobola et al developed an Ultra-Low Power Sensor Evaluation Kit (ULPSEK) for designing modulated, ultra-low power sensors, to be used together with a web-based battery runtime calculator. In [15], Tobola demonstrated that ULPSEK could be powered through 2 harvested body heat using a thermoelectric (TE) harvester with an average output power of 171 µW. Such studies are important towards understanding the power flow in autonomous self-sustained health monitoring devices.…”