Development of a Wearable Oximeter to Monitor Blood Oxygen Levels in Children with Sickle Cell Disease
Disciplines
Biological Engineering | Biomedical
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Sickle cell disease is a chronic condition that affects many people around the world, especially those of African descent. Such a condition requires a lifetime of monitoring, as people with sickle cell disease are likely to suffer from episodes of anemia, which can cause immense pain and life-threatening complications. One of the more severe complications arise from the red blood cell’s reduced ability to carry oxygen, leading to stroke. People who have sickle cell disease will require constant monitoring of their blood oxygen levels to prevent stroke. Currently, people suffering from sickle cell disease have to primarily resort to conventional monitoring methods that require a collection of blood samples. However, children who have sickle cell disease are less likely to cooperate or tolerate invasive methods of monitoring. Because of this, there is a need to research and develop a non-invasive device that is able to monitor the blood oxygen status of young patients. This research project aims to use near-infrared spectroscopy, or NIRS, technology to develop a wearable oximeter that can provide blood oxygen level readings without the need to extract blood samples. The device will use a near-infrared light emitter and a sensor to capture oxygen concentration in tissue and display the readings onto a screen. A major part of the development of a prototype is the design and assembly of the PCB board which contains the emitter and the sensor. This process entails designing a schematic in EagleCAD and importing the PCB design for production. Once the PCB is received, the on-board microcontroller will be programmed to control light emission and the capture of data through sensors. Finally, the components will be integrated into the wearable device. Other researchers will calculate scattering coefficients and other formulas for the interpretation and calculation of near-infrared light data. These calculations will be integrated into the device, and a complete functional prototype will be used in real-patient testing in children hospitals around Atlanta. The end goal is to produce a wearable oximeter that is both cost effective to produce and accurate enough to serve as a viable blood oxygen level monitor.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Paul Lee
Development of a Wearable Oximeter to Monitor Blood Oxygen Levels in Children with Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle cell disease is a chronic condition that affects many people around the world, especially those of African descent. Such a condition requires a lifetime of monitoring, as people with sickle cell disease are likely to suffer from episodes of anemia, which can cause immense pain and life-threatening complications. One of the more severe complications arise from the red blood cell’s reduced ability to carry oxygen, leading to stroke. People who have sickle cell disease will require constant monitoring of their blood oxygen levels to prevent stroke. Currently, people suffering from sickle cell disease have to primarily resort to conventional monitoring methods that require a collection of blood samples. However, children who have sickle cell disease are less likely to cooperate or tolerate invasive methods of monitoring. Because of this, there is a need to research and develop a non-invasive device that is able to monitor the blood oxygen status of young patients. This research project aims to use near-infrared spectroscopy, or NIRS, technology to develop a wearable oximeter that can provide blood oxygen level readings without the need to extract blood samples. The device will use a near-infrared light emitter and a sensor to capture oxygen concentration in tissue and display the readings onto a screen. A major part of the development of a prototype is the design and assembly of the PCB board which contains the emitter and the sensor. This process entails designing a schematic in EagleCAD and importing the PCB design for production. Once the PCB is received, the on-board microcontroller will be programmed to control light emission and the capture of data through sensors. Finally, the components will be integrated into the wearable device. Other researchers will calculate scattering coefficients and other formulas for the interpretation and calculation of near-infrared light data. These calculations will be integrated into the device, and a complete functional prototype will be used in real-patient testing in children hospitals around Atlanta. The end goal is to produce a wearable oximeter that is both cost effective to produce and accurate enough to serve as a viable blood oxygen level monitor.