Measurement of respiratory rate with high-resolution accelerometer and emfit pressure sensor

Abstract

Respiratory rate is an essential parameter in the clinical monitoring of hospital patients. It can be measured in various ways, such as by recording chest movements, breathing flow or heart rate variations. Current sensor technology allows the development of new kinds of convenient and portable respiratory rate recorders, including smart shirts, which enable more efficient healthcare processes in hospitals. This study carried out respiratory rate measurements using a sensor belt with a high-resolution accelerometer (capacitive MEMS) and an EMFit (electret film) pressure sensor. Results obtained from tests on 10 subjects showed that both sensors are feasible for respiratory rate measurement; the reliability of the MEMS was 90%, while that of the EMFit was 90- 100%. In addition, the results showed that the location of the sensor module on the chest is important.