DEVICE FOR MONITORING A STATE OF A LIVING BEING AND CORRESPONDING METHOD

Abstract

A device for monitoring a state of a living being includes a first sensor, a second sensor and an evaluation device. The first sensor non-invasively generates a measurement value based on a content of ammonia in the sweat of the living being. The second sensor generates a measurement value with respect to the respiration or the cardiac activity of the living being. The evaluation device generates a scalar measure of a stress of the living being based on the measurement values of the first and second sensors. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding method.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring a state of a living being, comprising several first sensors, a second sensor and an evaluation device, wherein a first sensor is configured in such a way as to non-invasively generate a measurement value based on a content of ammonia in the sweat of the living being, and a further first sensor is embodied identically, or a further first sensor is configured in such a way as to generate a measurement value for a content of a component in the sweat of the living being other than ammonia, wherein the first sensors may be positioned at different positions with different muscle groups of the living being, wherein the first sensors each comprise an ion-selective electrode printed on a film, an ion-selective membrane, an ion-selective material in the form of an ionophore, a reference electrode and a counter electrode, wherein the second sensor is configured in such a way as to generate a measurement value with respect to the respiration or the cardiac activity of the living being, wherein the first sensors and the second sensor are arranged in a carrier device wearable at a body of the living being, and wherein the evaluation device is configured in such a way as to generate a scalar measure of a stress of the living being based on the measurement values of the first sensors and the measurement value of the second sensor.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first sensors, the second sensor and the evaluation device are arranged in the carrier device.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises several second sensors, and wherein one second sensor generates a measurement value with respect to the respiration and another second sensor generates a measurement value with respect to the cardiac activity.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one transport device, and wherein the transport device is configured in such a way as to transport the sweat to the first sensor and/or away from the first sensor.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the transport device comprises at least one component provided with at least one channel.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the transport device comprises at least one component comprising an absorbent material.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein the transport device comprises at least one pumping device.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises an output device, and wherein the output device is configured in such a way as to output the scalar measure generated by the evaluation device.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the output device is configured in such a way as to output the scalar measure by radio.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a data memory, and wherein the evaluation device is configured in such a way as to generate the scalar measure based on the measurement value of the first sensor and the measurement value of the second sensor as well as based on data stored in the data memory.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises an energy source, and wherein the energy source is configured in such a way as to supply energy to the evaluation device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequently referring to the appended drawings, in which:

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a living being with an inventive device according to a first variation,

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a part of an inventive device according to a second variation as a block diagram,

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a schematic section through a first sensor, and

[0051] FIG. 4 shows a top view of a first sensor as part of an inventive device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0052] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an application of the inventive device 1. In this case, the exemplary device 1 is worn as a type of belt at the height of the heart by the living being 100 whose state is to be monitored by the device 1.

[0053] The device 1 comprises a first sensor 2 and a second sensor 3 each generating measurement values. The measurement values are directly evaluated on site by the evaluation device 4.

[0054] In this case, in the illustrated variation, the first sensor 2 serves for examining the ammonia content in the sweat of the living being 100. The second sensor 3 outputs a measurement value with respect to the cardiac activity. Depending on the configuration, this is a value for the heartbeat, the pulse or, e.g., a blood pressure value or a value regarding the respiration.

[0055] The first sensor 2, the second sensor 3 and the evaluation device 4 are located in a carrier device 5 whichas previously mentionedis configured as a type of belt in this case. In this case, the electronic components 2, 3, 4 are partly located in pockets of the carrier device 5 and are partly inserted directly into the fabric. Alternatively, attachment is provided by means of a hook and loop fastener. In this case, the wiring outlined in the illustration is also located in the fabric. In this case, the two components actually serving for measuring, i.e., the first sensor 2 and second sensor 3, are configured and arranged in the carrier device 5 so that they are located as close as possible to the living being 100.

[0056] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates parts of a further configuration of the inventive device 1. In this case, the carrier device 5 is only outlined.

[0057] Here, two first sensors 2, 2 are present which each serve for measuring ammonia and which are fixed at different locations. Thus, they allow for a location-specific measurement of the ammonia content.

[0058] The first second sensor 3 (here referred to as such) is arranged at a third location and, in the variation illustrated, allows for measuring the cardiac activity, e.g., the pulse via the accordingly provided electrodes. The second second sensor 3 serves for measuring the respiration. In this case, in a variation, the second second sensor 3 is configured as a movement sensor and, in a further variation, allows for determining the run time of signals in order to monitor the respiration and determine the respiration rate in a touchless manner.

[0059] The measurement values of the two first sensors 2, 2 as well as of the two second sensors 3, 3 are supplied in a wired manner to the evaluation device 4 which generates a scalar measure thereof. This measure allows for a statement regarding the current state, in particular regarding the stress of the living being, and is output via an output device 6 by radio. For example, the measure is sent as a measurement result to a display unit (here not illustrated).

[0060] In the illustrated configuration, an assessment of the measurement values is carried out by the evaluation device 4 by relating the current measurement values with reference data stored in a data memory 7. Thus, e.g., there is reference data with respect to the ranges in which the ammonia measurement value is to be located in relation to the respiration rate and the pulse. Thus, the measure consists of, e.g., a type of traffic signal, i.e., red, yellow or green, if the reference data includes corresponding value ranges for the measurement values.

[0061] The energy supply is carried out via an energy source 8 which is a button cell in the example shown. In this case, the energy source 8 is connected to the evaluation device 4 which, in turn, supplies the energy for the measurement to the first sensors 2, 2 as well as the second sensors 3, 3.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows a section through a schematic illustration of a first sensor 2 for measuring an ammonia content. In this case, the first sensor 2 comprises an ion-selective electrode 21 printed on a film 20 (cf. the following FIG. 4), which is connected via an outlined line to the evaluation device (here not shown). In this case, the film 20 is flexible and advantageously also skin-compatible so that it allows for the application under the stress due to the movement of the living being and the immediate skin contact.

[0063] In the case illustrated, a transport device 9 which realizes both the transport of the sweat to the first sensor 2 and also the transport away from the first sensor 2 is located on the side of the ion-selective electrode 21 facing away from the film 20.

[0064] In this case, in the example shown, the transport device 9 comprises three different components 90, 91, 92:

[0065] On the one hand, there is a component 90 provided with channels or capillaries which is arranged directly on the ion-selective electrode 21.

[0066] A component 91 comprising an absorbent material is located at an end of a channel facing away from the ion-selective electrode 21. For example, the absorbency is given by the size of pores of the material.

[0067] A pumping device 92 which transports away the body fluid sweat after the measurement with the first sensor 2 is located as a third component at an exit of a further channel. Alternatively, an absorbent material which differs from the previously mentioned material 91, e.g., by its pore configuration is also located at this exit.

[0068] Here, the first sensor 2 and the transport device 9 are configured with several parts and, in an alternative configuration, are embodied integrally.

[0069] FIG. 4 allows for a view of the ion-selective electrode 21 of the first sensor 2, which is applied on a flexible film 20. The concentration of an ion which is a measure of the ammonia content in the sweat of the living being to be examined is determined via the ion-selective electrode 21. In this case, it is advantageously the ammonium ion NH.sub.4.sup.+.

[0070] For this, a circular ion-selective membrane 22 is present which is surrounded by two semi-circular electrodes in the form of a reference electrode 23 and a counter electrode 24. In this case, the ion-selective membrane 22 separates the sweat as measurement medium from the electrode arrangement of the first sensor 2. Accordingly, the membrane 22 is set so that only the desired ions may advantageously pass.

[0071] An operating electrode whose electrical contacting is illustrated via a line is also located at the location of the ion-selective membrane 22.

[0072] Subsequently, from the measured electrical voltage, the concentration of the ions and e.g., based on calibration data, the ammonia concentration are inferred by the evaluation device.

[0073] While this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and compositions of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

REFERENCES

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