Wearable apparatus to detect pulse transit time

Abstract

A monitor device and associated methodology are disclosed which provide a self contained, relatively small and continuously wearable package for the monitoring of heart related parameters, including ECG. The detection of heart related parameters is predicated on the location of inequipotential signals located within regions of the human body conventionally defined as equivalent for the purpose of detection of heart related electrical activity, such as on single limbs. Amplification, filtering and processing methods and apparatus are described in conjunction with analytical tools for beat detection and display.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus to determine physiological status of an individual, comprising:
 a. a wearable sensor device adapted to be worn in an equivalence region of said individual's body;   b. at least two electrodes attached to said wearable sensor device, said electrodes adapted to be mounted within said equivalence region and to detect a heart-related signal;   c. a pressure sensor within the wearable sensor device adapted to detect a pressure-related signal and to be in contact with a portion of said individual's body that is in proximity to said at least two electrodes;   d. a processor in electronic communication with said at least two electrodes and the pressure sensor programmed to determine a pulse transit time from said heart-related signal and said pressure-related signal.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one sensor mounted to said wearable sensor device, said at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a heat flux sensor, a galvanic skin response sensor, a skin temperature sensor, and an accelerometer. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said processor is further programmed to determine said individual's physiological status from data detected by said at least one sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said individual's physiological status is at least one of fatigue, heat distress, dehydration, shock, and peripheral vascular shutdown. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said individual's physiological status is at least one of fatigue, heat distress, dehydration, hypothermia, and peripheral vascular shutdown. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said device is adapted to be in electronic communication with separate wearable sensor devices. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said processor is further programmed to determine said device's distance from at least one of said separate wearable sensor devices. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said devices communicates said physiological status to at least one of said separate wearable device. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said wearable sensor device is adapted to be worn on a left upper arm of said individual. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said processor is further programmed to determine said individual's contextual status from data detected by said at least one sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the processor determines the individual's blood pressure from the pulse transit time.