Developing a pressure sensitive mat using proximity sensors for vital sign monitoring

This paper presents the concept, design and development of a novel flexible pressure sensitive mat using infrared proximity sensors and a compressible material layer. The system consists of sensors arranged in a matrix, on a flexible printed circuit board, covered with an elastic layer of silicone rubber including a cavity for each individual sensor. Finite element simulations suggest a linear deformation with increasing applied pressure. Experiments on a prototype implementation confirm these results and illustrate a linear response with low noise. Finally, it is demonstrated that the system is able to recover breathing rate, indicating its suitability for patient monitoring applications.

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