Wearable sensors without skin-contact inspired by a nail tip: Demonstration experiment in daily life environment

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18410
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90130:Medical systems-related
• Research Institution: Kagawa National College of Technology
• Principal Investigator: ishii kohei 香川高等専門学校, 機械電子工学科, 准教授 (40710653)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 爪 / ウェアラブルデバイス / 脈波 / 遠隔モニタリング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Wearable pulse wave sensors attached to fingernail which can realize no uncomfortable wearing feeling and long-term continuous measurement is developed. In the previous report, miniature coin battery is used as power source to make the wearable sensor as small as ordinary artificial fingernail, but it is not brought enough life time. Thus, establishment of pulse wave measuring technique which has less power consumption is necessary to realize long term measurement like several weeks. From the experimental results, piezo film sensor which requires less electrical power supply can provide pulse wave from micro strain on finger nail surface. Developed prototype driven by miniature coin battery successfully worked for 8days. Proposed measuring technique can reduce power consumption of wearable pulse wave sensors attached to fingernail.

Free Research Field

医用生体工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

爪表面に存在する心拍由来の微小ひずみを利用して、センサ素子への電力供給が不要な脈波計測法の実現可能性を示した。大きな電池を搭載できないウェアラブルデバイスにとってこの計測法は、新たなアプローチであり、学術的意義のある研究といえる。この技術を発展させることにより長期間にわたり不快な装着感なく、患者の健康状態を見守ることができる可能性があり、社会的意義のある研究といえる。