On implementing an unconventional infant vital signs monitor with passive RFID tags

Abstract

Enabling continuous and comfortable monitoring for newborn infants continues to remain a challenge. The circuitry and power required to monitor an infant's vital signs both with wired and wireless implementations are the main obstacles in realizing a seamless wearable infant monitor. In this paper, an unconventional battery-free and wireless infant heart and respiration rate monitor that uses passive RFID technology is proposed. Heart rate information is transmitted by turning an RFID tag on and off based on detection of heart beats and respiration rate is measured by monitoring the change in the received signal strength from the RFID tag due to respiratory activity. The system affords tremendous reduction in hardware and makes an integrated unobtrusive infant monitor possible. Such a monitor can contribute to reducing infant mortality by enabling continuous monitoring of potentially life threatening conditions like apnea and bradycardia.