A system for monitoring cardiac vibration, respiration, and body movement in bed using an infrared

We have developed a non-invasive system for monitoring cardiac vibrations, respiration and body movement of in-bed hospitalized patients and elderly people who need constant care. These physiological parameters are recorded by an infrared emitting diode and a photo transistor, which are attached between spring coils in bed mattress. The infrared emitting diode diffuses infrared light into the mattress. The diffusion of this energy is changed by mattress shape variations and spring coil vibrations, which modulate the intensity of the received infrared signal. The intensity is also modulated by physiological parameters such as heart pulse, respiration and body movement. The physiological parameters are detected from the received infrared intensity signal by low, high and band pass filters.