Monitoring Devices with Energy-Harvesting Power Sources

Abstract

An apparatus worn by a subject includes an energy-harvesting power source, at least one physiological sensor and/or at least one environmental sensor coupled to the energy-harvesting power source. The at least one physiological sensor senses physiological information from the subject and the at least one environmental sensor senses environmental information in a vicinity of the subject. The energy-harvesting power source may include one or more of the following: a solar cell module configured to collect and store solar energy, a piezoelectric device or a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device configured to collect and store energy caused by movement of the subject and/or energy emanating from an environment in which the subject is located, a thermoelectric or thermovoltaic device configured to collect and store energy caused by thermal energy or temperature gradients in an environment in which the subject is located, a cranking or winding mechanism configured to store mechanical energy.

1 . An earpiece module configured to be attached to an ear of a subject, the earpiece module comprising:
 an energy-harvesting power source; and   at least one sensor coupled to the energy-harvesting power source, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense physiological information from the subject and/or environmental information in a vicinity of the subject.   
     
     
         2 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a solar cell module configured to collect and store solar energy. 
     
     
         3 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a piezoelectric device or a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device configured to collect and store energy caused by movement of the subject and/or energy emanating from an environment in which the subject is located. 
     
     
         4 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a thermoelectric or thermovoltaic device configured to collect and store energy caused by thermal energy or temperature gradients in an environment in which the subject is located. 
     
     
         5 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a cranking or winding mechanism configured to store mechanical energy. 
     
     
         6 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one optical emitter configured to direct optical energy to at least one region of the ear and at least one optical detector configured to sense absorbed, scattered, and/or reflected optical energy emanating from the at least one ear region. 
     
     
         7 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one transmitter coupled to the energy-harvesting power source, wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to transmit signals produced by the at least one sensor to a remote device. 
     
     
         8 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor coupled to the energy-harvesting power source, wherein the at least one processor is configured to process signals produced by the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The earpiece module of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one motion sensor coupled to the energy-harvesting power source, wherein the at least one motion sensor is configured to measure subject motion. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus configured to be worn by a subject, the apparatus comprising:
 an energy-harvesting power source; and   at least one sensor coupled to the energy-harvesting power source, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure pulse rate of the subject and/or to detect footsteps of the subject.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a solar cell module configured to collect and store solar energy. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a piezoelectric device or a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device configured to collect and store energy caused by movement of the subject and/or energy emanating from an environment in which the subject is located. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a thermoelectric or thermovoltaic device configured to collect and store energy caused by thermal energy or temperature gradients in an environment in which the subject is located. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a cranking or winding mechanism configured to store mechanical energy. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one optical emitter configured to direct optical energy to a region of the ear and at least one optical detector configured to sense absorbed, scattered, and/or reflected optical energy emanating from the ear region. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus configured to be worn by a subject, the apparatus comprising:
 an energy-harvesting power source;   at least one physiological sensor coupled to the energy-harvesting power source, wherein the at least one physiological sensor is configured to sense physiological information from the subject; and   at least one environmental sensor coupled to the energy-harvesting power source, wherein the at least one environmental sensor is configured to sense environmental information in a vicinity of the subject.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a solar cell module configured to collect and store solar energy. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a piezoelectric device or a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device configured to collect and store energy caused by movement of the subject and/or energy emanating from an environment in which the subject is located. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a thermoelectric or thermovoltaic device configured to collect and store energy caused by thermal energy or temperature gradients in an environment in which the subject is located. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the energy-harvesting power source comprises a cranking or winding mechanism configured to store mechanical energy. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one physiological sensor comprises at least one optical emitter configured to direct optical energy to at least one region of the body of the subject and at least one optical detector configured to sense absorbed, scattered, and/or reflected optical energy emanating from the at least one region of the body of the subject. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one environmental sensor is configured to sense one or more of the following types of environmental information: climate, humidity, temperature, pressure, barometric pressure, soot density, airborne particle density, airborne particle size, airborne particle shape, airborne particle identity, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carcinogens, toxins, optical radiation, X-rays, gamma rays, microwave radiation, terahertz radiation, ultraviolet radiation, infrared radiation, radio waves, atomic energy alpha particles, atomic energy beta-particles, gravity, light intensity, light frequency, light flicker, light phase, ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, sulfides, airborne pollution, foreign material in the air, viruses, bacteria, signatures from chemical weapons, wind, air turbulence, sound and/or acoustical energy, ultrasonic energy, noise pollution, human voices, animal sounds, diseases expelled from others, exhaled breath and/or breath constituents of others, toxins from others, pheromones from others, industrial and/or transportation sounds, allergens, animal hair, pollen, exhaust from engines, vapors and/or fumes, fuel, signatures for mineral deposits and/or oil deposits, snow, rain, thermal energy, hot surfaces, hot gases, solar energy, hail, ice, vibrations, traffic, the number of people in a vicinity of the subject, coughing and/or sneezing sounds from people in the vicinity of the subject, loudness and/or pitch from those speaking in the vicinity of the subject.