Physiological parameter monitoring

K. Malhi, S.C. Mukhopadhyay,J. Schnepper,M. Haefke, H. Ewald,Azigbee-based wearable physiological parameters monitoring system, IEEE Sens. J. 12 (3) (March 2012) 423—430. 

Toxicity Test (Bioassay). Organisms representative of those to be protected are exposed to the test water under rigorously controlled conditions, usually in a laboratory environment. In this test the organisms, normally fish, are exposed for a standard time period in aquaria to various dilutions of waste or river water while some physiological parameter is carefully monitored to determine fish response. Behavior is also observed. 

A final, highly specialized procedure for monitoring carbon flow in plants involves the use of "CO . The use of this positron gamma-emitting isotope of C, with a half-life of 20.3 min, allowed several physiological parameters of my-corrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants of Panicum coloratum to be measured simultaneously in real time (82). However, the technical problems associated with using "COi, particularly the ability to produce i.sotopes of carbon, and with handling this short half-life are likely to limit this approach to specialised facilities. 

Figure 6.18 shows the sensor response to a breathing-like signal. The pressurised air flow is applied and removed according to a natural human breathing rhythm. As shown, despite the hysteresis, the sensor response is reversible, reproducible, and fast enough to monitor physiological parameters in wearable sensor applications. 

There is an increasing interest in the emerging area of E-textiles, by which the idea of endowing garments and fabrics with new electronic functions is meant, in particular aimed at monitoring physiological parameters in patients [56] and in subjects exposed to particular risks or external harsh conditions [57]. 

Advances in solid-state electronics made it possible to map the subtle behavior of the fundamental unit of the central nervous system — the neuron — as well as to monitor the various physiological parameters, such as the electrocardiogram, of patients in intensive care units. 

Traditionally, safety pharmacology screens for cardiovascular fimction have been performed in the anesthetized dog or rat. In the rat, diastolic, systolic, and mean arterial blood pressures (DAP, SAP, MAP) are recorded via direct cannulation of a major artery (e.g., femoral or carotid), and the test article is injected directly into a vein while the animal remains anesthetized. Heart rate is determined electronically from the pressure signal, and other physiological parameters may be monitored, such as body temperature, respiration rate, and ECG. Often, an escalating dose strategy is employed to determine the minimum dose necessary to see any changes in cardiovascular function. 

Screenshots of a WAP phone accessing monitored physiological parameters. Left to right Displays of BP readings, ECG, and ECG analysis data (From K. Hung and Y. T. Zhang, IEEE Trans. Inform. Technol. Biomed., 7, 2, 101-107, 2003 IEEE.)... 

The health care industry is capitalizing on new medical technologies based on loT that will both dramatically improve care and lower costs. There is a dramatic growth in medical devices that use wireless technologies, some implanted and some worn on the body, to control bodily functions and to measure an array of physiological parameters. For example, implanted devices with biosensors and actuators can control heart rhythms, monitor hypertension, provide functional electrical stimulation of nerves, operate as glaucoma sensors, and monitor bladder and cranial pressure [3]. Electronic textiles (E-Tex)-based WBSNs for noninvasive health care monitoring will be the most... 

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