Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a mask to be worn on a subject's face for use in respiratory monitoring. The mask comprises a transducer responsive to airflow for generating a signal representative thereof; and a support structure shaped and configured to rest on the subject's face and extend outwardly therefrom over a nose and mouth area thereof to provide a transducer supporting portion supporting said transducer, upon positioning the mask, at a distance from and directed toward said area, and at a preset position substantially laterally centered relative to the subject's face and longitudinally substantially in line with or below the subject's mouth, to capture airflow produced by the subject's nose and mouth while breathing. WO 2012/037641 PCT/CA2011/000555
Abstract:
A mask for use in respiratory monitoring and/or diagnostics, and method of use thereof, the mask comprising at least one transducer responsive to sound and/or airflow, and a support structure configured to rest on a subject's face and extending outwardly therefrom to support the transducer at a distance and orientation from the nose and mouth, thereby allowing breathing sound and/or airflow monitoring via the transducer.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a mask to be worn by a subject on its face for use in respiratory monitoring and/or diagnostics. In general, the mask comprises at least one transducer responsive to sound and/or airflow for generating a data signal representative thereof, and a support structure shaped and configured to rest on the subject's face. In one embodiment, the support structure comprises two or more outwardly projecting limbs that, upon positioning the mask, converge into a transducer supporting portion for supporting the at least one transducer at a distance from a nose and mouth area of the subject's face, thereby allowing for monitoring via the at least one transducer of sound and/or airflow produced by the subject while breathing. Also described is a mask comprising a transducer responsive to airflow for generating a signal representative thereof and a support structure shaped and configured to rest on the subject's face and extend outwardly therefrom over a nose and mouth area thereof to provide a transducer supporting portion for supporting the transducer, upon positioning the mask, at a distance from a nose and mouth area of the subject's face and at a preset orientation in relation thereto, thereby allowing for monitoring via the transducer of airflow produced by the subject while breathing. A method is also disclosed for remotely diagnosing a breathing disorder of a subject, as well as a method for monitoring, identifying and/or determining characteristics of an individual's breathing, including breathing phases thereof, using a processed acoustic signal data stream collected and/or recorded waveform data. In one example, the waveform data is collected from or is associated with breathing sounds and other sounds from one or more microphones or other sound wave collecting equivalents thereof.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a mask to be worn by a subject on its face for use in respiratory monitoring and/or diagnostics. In general, the mask comprises at least one transducer responsive to sound and/or airflow for generating a data signal representative thereof, and a support structure shaped and configured to rest on the subject's face. In one embodiment, the support structure comprises two or more outwardly projecting limbs that, upon positioning the mask, converge into a transducer supporting portion for supporting the at least one transducer at a distance from a nose and mouth area of the subject's face, thereby allowing for monitoring via the at least one transducer of sound and/or airflow produced by the subject while breathing. Also described is a mask comprising a transducer responsive to airflow for generating a signal representative thereof and a support structure shaped and configured to rest on the subject's face and extend outwardly therefrom over a nose and mouth area thereof to provide a transducer supporting portion for supporting the transducer, upon positioning the mask, at a distance from a nose and mouth area of the subject's face and at a preset orientation in relation thereto, thereby allowing for monitoring via the transducer of airflow produced by the subject while breathing. A method is also disclosed for remotely diagnosing a breathing disorder of a subject, as well as a method for monitoring, identifying and/or determining characteristics of an individual's breathing, including breathing phases thereof, using a processed acoustic signal data stream collected and/or recorded waveform data. In one example, the waveform data is collected from or is associated with breathing sounds and other sounds from one or more microphones or other sound wave collecting equivalents thereof.
Abstract:
A wearable monitoring unit comprising: a receiver operable for receiving zone data from a zone beacon; an alerting unit; a memory having stored thereon a group of hygiene status subroutines, each according to a corresponding infection risk level; and a processor module configured to: receive said zone data via said receiver; identify an infection risk level associated with said zone data; select a hygiene status subroutine according to said identified infection risk level; execute the selected hygiene status subroutine; and upon user non-compliance with said selected hygiene status subroutine, activate said alerting unit. The wearable monitoring unit may be configured to receive hygiene event data from a hygiene event detector via the receiver and to process the hygiene event to determine user compliance with the hygiene status subroutine. The monitoring unit may also comprise a time of day module for adjusting the infection risk level and therefore the selection of the hygiene status subroutine as a function of time of day. The hygiene status subroutine can also comprise a timer for timing compliance of the user with the selected subroutine, the duration of the timer being set as a function of the infection risk level.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is self-contained beacon for use in a hand hygiene compliance system to interface with a plurality of wearable monitors in the implementation of an automated hand hygiene compliance ,protocol. The beacon includes a mountable housing; an integrated power source; and a transmitter operatively coupled to the power source, the transmitter comprising two or more emitters operatively disposed and divergently angled relative to one another to emit respective transmission beams shaped to bisect a designated attendant travel path to intercept passage of the wearable monitors upon passage along the travel path, wherein the respective transmission beams are configured to overlap to form a combined transmission beam to be substantially uninterrupted at a level of the wearable monitor as the combined transmission beam bisects the path, the transmitter configured to transmit an encoded identifier via the two or more emitters to be received and processed by the wearable monitors upon passage along the travel path for implementation of the automated hand hygiene compliance protocol,