Background
Wearable technology has the potential to serve as a point sensor for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives, which provides continuous surveillance in real-time for high-stress environments including military environments, emergency and law enforcement, field maintenance, and high-performance athletics. However, most current wearable sensor technologies cannot detect all required measurements to effectively assess the health of individuals and mitigate any chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threats.
Invention Description
Researchers at Arizona State University and the Naval Surface Warfare Center have prototyped a novel, non-invasive in-ear wearable device (EWD) featuring a combination of sensors/electrodes that allow real-time monitoring of human physiological parameters as well as environmental conditions. Sensors include:
- Miniature Inertial Measurement Units (IMU): Measures acceleration, angular velocity, and elevation changes; detects fatigue, head/neck loading, spatial disorientation, G-loading.
- Pulse Oximeter: Measures cerebral blood oxygen saturation, heart rate and intervals, breathing rate and intervals, body temperature; detects cardiac distress, pulmonary distress, hypoxia, hypo- or hyper-ventilation.
- Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) Sensor: Measures skin conductance and changes in electrical (ionic) activity from sweat gland activity; detects muscular and emotional distress.
- Electromyography (EMG) Sensor: Measures movement and electrical activity of muscles; detects muscular distress/twitching, spasms, eye irritation.
- Electrocardiogram (EKG) Sensor: Measures timing and shape of the PQRST heart sequence; detects myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation.
- Electroencephalogram (EEG): Measures event-related potential (ERP), alpha and theta waveforms, peak alpha frequency; detects attention level, blinking, metal effort, alertness.
- Barometer and Humidity Sensor: Measures pressure, altitude, humidity, temperature; detects sudden variations in cabin pressure/humidity.
- Gas Sensor: Measures carbon monoxide, ammonia, hydrogen, ethanol, methane, propane, isobutane; detects environmental toxicity.
- Radiation Sensor: Measures α, β, γ, and X-ray radiation; detects environmental toxicity.
Potential Applications
Individuals working in high-stress environments including:
• Athletes
• Emergency, rescue, and law enforcement teams
• Field maintenance workers
• Military personnel
Benefits and Advantages
• Ensures mission safety and success by monitoring for potentially adverse conditions
• Small, lightweight, and compatible with gas mask usage
• Wireless data transmission