Audio assessment of the peripheral microcirculation

This paper describes the development of an audio Photoplethysmography system for performing assessment of the peripheral microcirculation. Current assessment methods for peripheral perfusion and arterial stiffness are discussed, and the concept of audio Photoplethysmography is introduced. An arterial PPG model is used for simulation purposes to develop enhancement techniques for the audio Photoplethysmography system. An overview of the essential hardware points and techniques is also given. It is suggested that the audio Photoplethysmography system could be a valuable tool for introducing peripheral microcirculation assessment to non-clinical primary screening settings, e.g. the home or office.