A bio-inspired continuous wearable respiration sensor modeled after the lateral line system of fish is reported which is used for detecting mechanical disturbances in the water. Despite the clinical importance of monitoring respiratory activity in humans and animals, continuous measurements of breathing patterns and rates are rarely performed in or outside of clinics. This is largely because conventional sensors are too inconvenient or expensive for wearable sensing for most individuals and animals. The bio-inspired air-silicone composite transducer (ASiT) is placed on the chest and measures respiratory activity by continuously measuring the force applied to an air channel embedded inside a silicone-based elastomeric material. The force applied on the surface of the transducer during breathing changes the air pressure inside the channel, which is measured using a commercial pressure sensor and mixed-signal wireless electronics. The transducer produced in this work are extensively characterized and tested with humans, dogs, and laboratory rats. The bio-inspired ASiT may enable the early detection of a range of disorders that result in altered patterns of respiration. The technology reported can also be combined with artificial intelligence and cloud computing to algorithmically detect illness in humans and animals remotely, reducing unnecessary visits to clinics.

中文翻译：

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用于人类和动物呼吸模式的可穿戴式连续监测的仿生可拉伸传感器

报道了一种仿生的仿生连续可穿戴呼吸传感器，以鱼的侧线系统为模型，用于检测水中的机械扰动。尽管监测人类和动物的呼吸活动具有临床重要性，但很少在诊所内外进行呼吸模式和频率的连续测量。这主要是因为对于大多数个人和动物来说，传统传感器对于可穿戴传感来说太不方便或太昂贵了。仿生空气-硅胶复合换能器 (ASiT) 放置在胸部，通过连续测量施加在嵌入硅胶弹性材料内的空气通道上的力来测量呼吸活动。呼吸过程中施加在换能器表面的力会改变通道内的气压，这是使用商业压力传感器和混合信号无线电子设备测量的。在这项工作中生产的换能器已在人类、狗和实验室大鼠中进行了广泛的表征和测试。受生物启发的 ASiT 可以及早发现一系列导致呼吸模式改变的疾病。报告的技术还可以与人工智能和云计算相结合，通过算法远程检测人类和动物的疾病，减少不必要的诊所就诊。