INTEGRATION OF INSTRUMENTATION FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS

THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INTEGRATE PHYSIOLOGICAL MONITORING COMPONENTS INTO WEARABLE, MODULAR SYSTEMS WHICH WILL DETECT, RECORD AND TRANSMIT VITAL SIGNS DATA TO ASSIST IN MANAGEMENT OF FIELD CASUALTIES. ALL COMPONENTS WILL CONSIST OF RELIABLE, COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE INSTRUMENTATION WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT REQUIRE MODIFICATIONS, AND WILL NON-INVASIVELY MEASURE HEART RATE, RESPIRATORY RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE. THE INSTRUMENTATION WILL BE SO CONFIGURED AS TO SUPPLY CLINICALLY USEFUL DATA UNDER THE MOST EXACTING OF ALL FIELD CONDITIONS, I.E., INJURED PERSONS WEARING FULLY SUITED AND CONTAMINATED CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE ENSEMBLES (MOPP SUITS). SECURE, AUTOMATIC COMMUNICATIONS WILL BE USED TO LOCATE AND ACCESS FIELD CASUALTIES. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPACT, CONVENIENTLY WEARABLE VITAL SIGNS MODULES THAT CAN SUPPLY ESSENTIAL CLINICAL DATA UNDER ALL EXPECTED FIELD CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, ALGORITHMS TO ASSIST IN TRIAGE WILL BE DEVELOPED FROM COMBINATIONS OF PULSE RATES, PULSE PRESSURES, BLOOD PRSSSURES, 02 SATURATION VALUES AND RESPIRATORY RATES. TRACEABLE MEDICAL RECORDS WILL ALSO BE GENERATED.