Compact Vital-Sensing Band with Uninterrupted Power Supply for Core Body Temperature and Pulse Rate Monitoring

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Wearable Technology
• Energy Harvesting

Background:

• Wearable devices for vital sign monitoring face limitations due to frequent recharging needs and sensor placement.
• Continuous monitoring is crucial for timely detection of adverse health events.
• Existing technologies often compromise wearability and continuous operation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a compact vital-sensing band with an uninterrupted power supply for continuous monitoring of core body temperature (CBT) and pulse rate.
• To address the limitations of current wearable vital sign monitors.
• To enhance patient care through reliable, long-term physiological data collection.

Main Methods:

• A flexible vital-sensing band incorporating two sensors, a flexible thermoelectric generator (TEG) for power, and a battery was designed.
• Core body temperature (CBT) was calculated using skin temperature and heat flux measurements.
• Pulse rate was monitored using a self-powered, triboelectric nanogenerator-based pressure sensor.

Main Results:

• The flexible TEG converted body heat into electricity, generating 314 mJ.
• Only 7.2% of the generated energy was used for CBT measurements, with the remainder stored in the battery.
• The system demonstrated reliable and continuous operation for vital sign monitoring.

Conclusions:

• The developed vital-sensing band offers a solution for uninterrupted physiological monitoring.
• The integrated energy harvesting and storage system ensures continuous power supply.
• This technology holds significant potential for advancing remote patient monitoring and healthcare applications.