Bedscales: A non-contact adherence-independent multi-person sensor for longitudinal physiologic monitoring in the home bed

Abstract

Home health monitoring technologies promise to improve care and reduce costs, yet they are limited by the need for adherence to self-monitoring, usage of an app, or application of a wearable. While implantable sensors overcome the adherence barrier, they are expensive and require invasive procedures. Here, we describe a non-invasive, non-contact, adherence-independent sensor, that when placed beneath the legs of a patient's home bed, longitudinally monitors total body weight, detailed respiratory signals, and ballistocardiograms for months, without requiring any active patient participation.Accompanying algorithms demix weight and respiratory signals when the bed is shared by a partner or a pet. Validation studies during overnight clinical sleep studies exhibit quantitative equivalence to commercial sensors and allow discrimination of obstructive and central sleep apneas. In-home studies discriminate atrial fibrillation from normal sinus rhythm. To demonstrate real-world feasibility, we performed 3 months of continuous in-home monitoring in a patient with heart failure as he awaited and recovered from coronary artery bypass surgery. By overcoming the adherence barrier, Bedscales has the potential to create a multidimensional picture of chronic disease, learn signatures of impending hospitalization, and enable optimization of care in the home.

Applying a Digital Health Checklist and Readability Tools to Improve Informed Consent for Digital Health Research

“…Two passive sensor technologies were being considered for use during the study planning phase. One was a remote sensor that would be placed on the legs of a baby crib/bed to gather respiration and heart rate ( 14 ). The other, a body placed sensor that would be worn by the mother and baby to passively collect interpersonal data for specified periods in the home environment.…”