Non-contact imaging device for monitoring blood flow

Researchers from Canada’s University of Waterloo have developed a new system for monitoring the blood flow of patients without direct contact with the body

The technology, known as Coded Hemodynamic Imaging, is described in Nature’s Scientific Reports. Based on a technique called transmittance photoplethysmographic imaging, the system monitors multiple arterial points simultaneously, providing an overall picture of blood flow.

"Traditional systems in wide use now take one blood-pulse reading at one spot on the body,” said Robert Amelard, a PhD candidate in systems design engineering at Waterloo.

“This device acts like many virtual sensors that measure blood-flow behaviour on various parts of the body. The device relays measurements from all of these pulse points to a computer for continuous monitoring. By way of comparison, think of measuring the traffic flow across an entire city rather than through one intersection."

According to the Waterloo team, the non-invasive nature of the system makes it suitable for patients with painful burns, highly contagious diseases, or for neonatal infants whose small fingers can make traditional monitoring difficult.