Development of a Blood Pressure Measurement Instrument with Active Cuff Pressure Control Schemes

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Physiological Monitoring

Background:

• Traditional oscillometric blood pressure (BP) devices often suffer from air turbulence and inconsistent pressure control.
• Accurate and efficient BP measurement is crucial for cardiovascular health monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel oscillometric blood pressure measurement approach utilizing active cuff pressure control.
• To enhance measurement speed and consistency compared to existing electronic BP instruments.

Main Methods:

• Development of a variable volume chamber with a closed-loop pressure control scheme, driven by a screw motor-actuated piston.
• Implementation of two measurement modes: Air Injection Measurement (AIM) and Accurate Dual-Way Measurement (ADM).
• Active and stable alteration of cuff pressure during inflation and deflation cycles to minimize air turbulence.

Main Results:

• The proposed method significantly reduces air turbulence during air injection compared to air pump mechanisms.
• AIM reduced measurement time by 34.21%, and ADM reduced it by 15.78% compared to a commercial BP monitor.
• The ADM mode demonstrated superior measurement consistency, indicated by a lower standard deviation.

Conclusions:

• The active cuff pressure control approach offers a more stable and efficient method for oscillometric blood pressure measurement.
• The variable volume chamber technology effectively mitigates air turbulence, leading to improved accuracy and speed.
• The proposed AIM and ADM modes represent a significant advancement in electronic BP monitoring technology.