C. Rauh, C. Adams
Vital View Technologies,
United States
Keywords: Sensor, RF Polarization Mode Dispersion, Hydration, Bio Stats
Summary:
In both commercial and defense applications, there is a key need to gain key Bio Stat information in quick and contact-less manner. In the commercial world, sports teams are seeking to gain an edge to understand during in game situations the bio-status (heart rate, respiratory rate and hydration status) of their players so they assess the necessary actions needed to keep them playing at the highest level. In the defense world, this same information is required to best understand everything from battlefield readiness to assessing casualty status during a conflict.In all these cases, the measurement technology must be done quickly (under 15 seconds) and without contact. Of particular note is the field of monitoring de-hydration rate. All are aware of the importance of avoiding de-hydration but today there is no tool to monitor de-hydration rate that is both accurate and contact-less.The Technology Vital View Technologies’ (VVT) technology is based on pioneering work done by Dr. Thomas Pratt on use of Radio Frequency Polarization Mode Dispersion (RF PMD) as a sensing technology. VVT is the sole and exclusive licensee of nine issued patents (see “References”) from University of Notre Dame to commercialize this technology. Dr. Pratt continues to work support the productization of his technology and will be consulting on this phase I SBIR. Fundamental to using RF PMD as a sensor are two patents in particular, which are, “Method and Apparatus for Electro Magnetic Signal Polarimetry Sensing”, and “Use of Coherent Signal Dispersion for Signal Source Association”. Operating in the unlicensed 2.4GHz spectrum at very low power levels, RF PMD refers to the polarization changes of RF signals after passing through space, reflecting off objects and recombining at the receiver. The resulting features provide a large data rich output, which increases with the number of transmitters and receivers. RF PMD responses sense a wide range of target characteristics including movement, resistivity and presence of inorganic matter. Vital View and with its continued partnership with Dr Pratt’s lab has demonstrated various systems comprised of a software defined radio transmitting through an array of di-pole antenna elements that RF PMD can detect heart rate, respiratory rate and change in total body fluid. In a controlled, CRO lead study we did an A/B comparison of heart rate & respiratory rate between the RF PMD measurement approach and the contact based medical gold standard method and showed excellent correlation.