Low Cost Plastic Optical Fiber Pressure Sensor Embedded in Mattress for Vital Signal Monitoring

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Sensor Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Traditional fiber optic sensors can be expensive.
• There is a need for low-cost, multipoint sensing solutions for physiological monitoring.
• Monitoring breathing movements is crucial for various health applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and report a low-cost plastic optical fiber (POF) pressure sensor.
• To develop a multipoint sensor embedded in a mattress for respiration monitoring.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance, including resolution, bandwidth, and hysteresis.

Main Methods:

• Implementation using an Arduino board, LEDs (645 nm), and a silicon light sensor.
• Utilizing Super ESKA® plastic optical fibers arranged in a 4x4 matrix.
• Cyclic loading tests to assess system drift and hysteresis.

Main Results:

• The sensor is suitable for monitoring respiration movements with a bandwidth of 10 Hz.
• Achieved a force resolution of 2.2-4.5%/N on the normalized voltage output.
• Negligible hysteresis was observed during cyclic loading, indicating system stability.

Conclusions:

• The designed low-cost POF pressure sensor is a viable and affordable alternative for multipoint sensing.
• The sensor's specifications make it suitable for effective respiration monitoring.
• The minimal hysteresis suggests reliable performance for long-term monitoring applications.