A Contact-Sensitive Probe for Biomedical Optics

Capacitive proximity sensing is widespread in our everyday life, but no sensor for biomedical optics takes advantage of this technology to monitor the probe attachment to the subject’s skin. In particular, when using optical monitoring devices, the capability to quantitatively measure the probe cont...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marco Renna, Adriano Peruch, John Sunwoo, Zachary Starkweather, Alyssa Martin, Maria Angela Franceschini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/6/2361
Description
Summary:Capacitive proximity sensing is widespread in our everyday life, but no sensor for biomedical optics takes advantage of this technology to monitor the probe attachment to the subject’s skin. In particular, when using optical monitoring devices, the capability to quantitatively measure the probe contact can significantly improve data quality and ensure the subject’s safety. We present a custom novel optical probe based on a flexible printed circuit board which integrates a capacitive contact sensor, 3D-printed optic fiber holders and an accelerometer sensor. The device can be effectively adopted during continuous monitoring optical measurements to detect contact quality, motion artifacts, probe detachment and ensure optimal signal quality.
ISSN:1424-8220