OFSETH: A breathing motions monitoring system for patients under MRI.

The potential benefit of optical fiber sensors embedded into medical textiles for the continuous monitoring of patients for MRI is presented. We report a monitoring system based on the use of two novel non-intrusive optical sensing technologies designed to measure the elongation due to abdominal and thoracic motions during breathing. The developed system can successfully sense textile elongation between 0.1% and 5%, while maintaining the stretching properties of the textile substrates for a good comfort of the patient. The solution prototyped shows a high stability and good reproducibility. The sensors are coupled to a compact, real time and accurate monitoring system.

OFSETH: smart medical textile for continuous monitoring of respiratory motions under magnetic resonance imaging.

The potential impact of optical fiber sensors embedded into medical textiles for the continuous monitoring of the patient during Magnetic Resonance Imaging is presented. We report on two pure optical sensing technologies for respiratory movements monitoring - a macro bending sensor and a Bragg grating sensor, designed to measure the elongation due to abdominal and thoracic motions during breathing. We demonstrate that the two sensors can successfully sense textile elongation between, 0% and 3%, while maintaining the stretching properties of the textile substrates for a good comfort of the patient.

Optical fibre sensors embedded into technical textile for a continuous monitoring of patients under Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

The potential impact of optical fiber sensors embedded into medical textiles for the continuous monitoring of the patient during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is presented. In that way, we report on several pure optical sensing technologies for pulse oximetry and respiratory movements monitoring. The technique for pulse oximetry measurement is known as NIRS (Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy) in a reflectance mode. On the other hand, we tested two different optical based designs for the respiratory motions measurements--a macro bending sensor and a Bragg grating sensor, designed to measure the elongation of thoracic and abdominal circumferences during breathing.

A system for respiratory motion detection using optical fibers embedded into textiles.

In this contribution, a first prototype for mobile respiratory motion detection using optical fibers embedded into textiles is presented. The developed system consists of a T-shirt with an integrated fiber sensor and a portable monitoring unit with a wireless communication link enabling the data analysis and visualization on a PC. A great effort is done worldwide to develop mobile solutions for health monitoring of vital signs for patients needing continuous medical care. Wearable, comfortable and smart textiles incorporating sensors are good approaches to solve this problem. In most of the cases, electrical sensors are integrated, showing significant limits such as for the monitoring of anaesthetized patients during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). OFSETH (Optical Fibre Embedded into technical Textile for Healthcare) uses optical sensor technologies to extend the current capabilities of medical technical textiles.

Long-distance frequency dissemination with a resolution of 10(-17).

We use a new technique to disseminate microwave reference signals along ordinary optical fiber. The fractional frequency resolution of a link of 86 km in length is 10(-17) for a one day integration time, a resolution higher than the stability of the best microwave or optical clocks. We use the link to compare the microwave reference and a CO2/OsO4 frequency standard that stabilizes a femtosecond laser frequency comb. This demonstrates a resolution of 3 x 10(-14) at 1 s. An upper value of the instability introduced by the femtosecond laser-based synthesizer is estimated as 1 x 10(-14) at 1 s.