Chest and abdominal surface motion measurement for continuous monitoring of respiratory function.

The spirometric devices currently available are not well suited for continuous or ambulatory monitoring of subjects. The proposed solution details a method of assessing lung function that avoids the need for flow measurement at the mouth and provides more detailed information of the dynamics of chest motion while allowing the subject to move freely. The solution to this problem comprises a distributed sensor system that allows regional motions during breathing manoeuvres to be investigated as well as a measurement of tidal respiratory volume. Preliminary studies demonstrate performance benefits of an array of sensors over two-compartment respiratory measurements.