Noncontact measurement of flow velocity and flow rate in human breathing by using Far Infrared Imaging

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K11401
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 61020:Human interface and interaction-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya City University
• Principal Investigator: Hanawa Dai 名古屋市立大学, 大学院芸術工学研究科, 准教授 (50422506)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 遠赤外線画像 / 鼻呼吸 / 非接触計測 / 流速 / 流量

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, we studied the feasibility of a method for non-contact measurement of quantitative flow velocity and flow rate in human breathing by using far-infrared imaging. We first compared the air temperature, flow velocity, and surface temperature in the nasal cavity during human nasal breathing by conducting experiments. We next proposed a method for estimating the flow velocity from the air temperature and the surface temperature based on the experimental results. As a result, we found that the quantitative flow velocity in nasal breathing can be estimated in a non-contact manner by using far-infrared images.

Free Research Field

ヒューマンコンピュータインタラクション

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

生体情報において重要な指標である呼吸の流速や流量は，これまでは，ユーザに計測機器を装着させる接触型の方法でのみ，定量的な計測が可能であった．そのため，日常生活への応用に向けては，身体的・精神的な負担，計測機器脱着の危険性，複数人の同時計測が困難などの課題があった．本研究では，遠赤外線画像を用いたアプローチにより，鼻呼吸中の呼気および吸気の流速を，非接触かつ定量的に推定できる可能性を示すことができた．