Sensor-Augmented Proning Vest for Continuous Acoustic and Impedance-Based Respiratory Assessment

Quentin Goossens, Isabelle Coursey, Harold Solomon, Maxwell Weinmann, Omer T Inan

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Keywords: Bioimpedance, Impedance Pneumography, Lung Sounds, Proning, Non-Invasive Sensing, Pulmonary Health

Abstract: Prone positioning improves oxygenation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but traditional methods are labor-intensive and complicates continuous monitoring capabilities. Building on a previously developed mechanically assisted proning vest (V/Q vest), this work focuses on integrating and validating a multi-modal sensor network for non-invasive respiratory monitoring. The system incorporates thoracic bioimpedance electrodes and microphones to derive respiratory parameters, including tidal volume (TV), respiratory rate (RR), phase timing and lung sounds. Data from ten healthy adults were collected during controlled breathing tasks in seated and supine postures. Both seated and supine positions showed strong agreement between IP-derived and spirometer-derived TV, with R2 = 0.90, MAE = 0.16 ± 0.07 L in the seated posture and R2 = 0.94, MAE = 0.12 ± 0.05 L in the supine posture. A flow-based correction method was applied to decouple lung sound intensity from airflow. In the seated posture, mean repeated-measures correlation between uncorrected sound intensity and flow was r = 0.72, dropping to r = 0.01 after correction. In the supine posture, r = 0.71 before correction and r = -0.07 after correction, demonstrating successful flow-decoupling. These results support the feasibility of integrating real-time impedance and acoustic sensing into a therapeutic proning vest, laying the foundation for localized lung monitoring and data-driven respiratory management in critical care.

Track: 1. Digital Health Solutions (i.e. sensors and algorithms) for diagnosis, progress, and self-management

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Submission Number: 34