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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/N19694/01
Title: FIBRE OPTIC SENSOR TECHNOLOGY FOR RESPIRATORY FUNCTION MONITORING
Principal Investigator: Bennion, Professor I
Other Investigators:
Jones, Professor B Miller, Dr M Miller, Dr M
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Oxford Fiber Optic Tools Ltd Smart Fibres Ltd
Department: Sch of Engineering and Applied Science
Organisation: Aston University
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 December 2000 Ends: 31 May 2003 Value (£): 116,081
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Medical science & disease
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The proposed programme seeks to investigate a new approach to monitoring the human respiratory function, based on the use of fibre optic technology. The overall concept is based on monitoring chest displacement using an array of novel transducer s to generate a dynamic, real-time 3D chest image that facilitates the investigation of regional chest motions and breathing maneuvers; the time-sequential data may be logged for subsequent analysis by clinicians. The clinical need well-established for diagnosis and continuous monitoring of a number of lung ailments including asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, and several respiratory failure conditions. Further the system has potentially valuable additional uses in speech therapy for a wide range of speech disorders. The technical approach uses novel fibre grating-based displacement transducers which may be incorporated into a garment that is worn by the subject being monitored. Several new component concepts are proposed, and the programme will investigate the sensor array architectures for optical utilisation of the technique. Methods for incorporating the transducer array into the garment will be studied based on our existing experience and that of our colleagues. The overall thrust of the programme is to establish the viability of the metrology technique, and a laboratory standard system will be constructed for this purpose.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Summary
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.aston.ac.uk