Physiological Monitoring for Military Nurses

The aim of the proposal effort is to investigate and research physiological monitoring technology, including the design, development, testing and application of a device using an array of distributed sensors for monitoring and displaying vital signs such as heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. The principal requirements of the device are that it be completely passive; i.e. require no physical connection the patient such as wires or electrodes that might impair patient mobility, that it function reliably in high noise environments and lastly that it require a minimum of technical expertise to operate. A successful device would operate in such instances as medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) by ambulance or helicopter and operation through MOPP gear and/or body armor, environments that render current monitoring techniques difficult or impossible. Further application of a non-invasive monitor to a low-noise ICE environment is considered straightforward. The passive and autonomous operation of such a system also lends itself to telemetry and real-time remote monitoring of patients in the field or in their own homes.Previous research, funded by TSNRP, has demonstrated the viability of a single sensor system consisting of a pressure sensitive, electrically active fluoro-polymer pad and sophisticated real time software analysis for passive monitoring of respiration and heart rate. By extending this to an array of smaller, distributed sensors, noise rejection will be improved significantly as will the range of vital signs capable of being detected.

Final report is available on NTRL: https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/dashboard/searchResults/titleDetail/PB2009112615.xhtml