DETERMINING PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ANIMAL

• US 20090270756A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TransTech Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TransTech Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Pluta, Sarah, Gamache, Ronald W.
• Application Number:
  US12/258,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20090270756A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/107 Static hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/15 Biometric patterns based on physiological signals, e.g. heartbeat, blood flow
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system, method and program product enable determining physiological characteristics of an animal. In one embodiment, the system includes a sensor having an array of electrodes for use in obtaining complex impedance data from a body part of an animal; and a determinater that compares the complex impedance data with an empirical data model to determine a physiological parameter of the animal, the empirical data model including physiological parameter data versus complex impedance data value correspondence of the animal.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a sensor having an array of electrodes for use in obtaining complex impedance data from a body part of an animal; and

a determinater that compares the complex impedance data with an empirical data model to determine a physiological parameter of the animal, the empirical data model including physiological parameter data versus complex impedance data value correspondence of the animal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the physiological parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

osmolarity, lactic acid concentration, ionic concentration and glucose concentration.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the ionic concentration is selected from the group consisting of:

sodium concentration, chloride concentration, potassium concentration, calcium concentration, bicarbonate concentration, and magnesium concentration.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is formed of a conductive material selected from the group consisting of:

silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl), platinum and carbon.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the array of electrodes comprises a current transmitting electrode, a current sensing electrode, and two voltage sensing electrodes positioned on the body part of the animal in a linear arrangement.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the two voltage sensing electrodes are positioned between the current transmitting electrode and the current sensing electrode in the linear arrangement.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the current transmitting electrode and the current sensing electrode are positioned between the two voltage sensing electrodes in the linear arrangement.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the array of electrodes produce a signal having a frequency range that maximizes extraction of the physiological parameter.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the frequency range is between about 100 Hz and about 10 MHz.

10. A method comprising:

obtaining complex impedance data for an animal; and

determining a physiological parameter of the animal based on the complex impedance data.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the determining includes using an algorithm.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

generating the algorithm using a multivariate analysis.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the multivariate analysis includes using at least one of:

pattern recognition, principal component analysis, and structure data analysis.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the physiological parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

osmolarity, lactic acid concentration, ionic concentration and glucose concentration.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the ionic concentration is selected from the group consisting of:

sodium concentration, chloride concentration, potassium concentration, calcium concentration, bicarbonate concentration, and magnesium concentration.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the determining includes comparing the complex impedance data with an empirical data model, the empirical data model including physiological parameter data versus complex impedance data value correspondence of the animal.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the complex impedance data for the animal is obtained from the body part of the animal using a sensor having an array of electrodes, the sensor including a current transmitting electrode, a current sensing electrode, and two voltage sensing electrodes in a linear arrangement.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the two voltage sensing electrodes are positioned between the current transmitting electrode and the current sensing electrode in the linear arrangement.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the current transmitting electrode and the current sensing electrode are positioned between the two voltage sensing electrodes in the linear arrangement.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the sensor is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of:

silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl), platinum and carbon.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the sensor produces a signal having a frequency range that maximizes extraction of the physiological parameter.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the frequency range is between about 100 Hz and about 10 MHz.

23. A program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed, performs the following:

obtaining complex impedance data for an animal;

determining a physiological parameter of the animal based on the complex impedance data; and

outputting the physiological parameter.

24. The program product according to claim 23, wherein the determining includes comparing the complex impedance data with an empirical data model, the empirical data model including physiological parameter data versus complex impedance data value correspondence of the animal.

25. The program product according to claim 23, wherein the determining includes using an algorithm.

26. The program product according to claim 25, further comprising:

generating the algorithm using a multivariate analysis.

27. The program product according to claim 26, wherein the multivariate analysis includes using at least one of:

pattern recognition, principal component analysis, and structure data analysis.

28. The program product according to claim 23, wherein the physiological parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

osmolarity, lactic acid concentration, ionic concentration and glucose level.

29. The program product according to claim 28, wherein the ionic concentration is selected from the group consisting of:

sodium concentration, chloride concentration, potassium concentration, calcium concentration, bicarbonate concentration, and magnesium concentration.

30. The program product according to claim 23, wherein the obtaining includes producing a signal having a frequency range that maximizes extraction of the physiological parameter.

31. The program product according to claim 30, wherein the frequency range is between about 100 Hz and about 10 MHz.

32. A system comprising:

an obtainer for obtaining complex impedance data for an animal; and

a determinater for determining a physiological parameter of the animal based on the complex impedance data.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein the determinater uses an algorithm to determine the physiological parameter.

34. The system according to claim 32, wherein the determinater includes an empirical data model that includes physiological parameter data versus complex impedance data value correspondence.

35. The system according to claim 32, wherein the physiological parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

osmolarity, lactic acid concentration, ionic concentration and glucose level.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the ionic concentration is selected from the group consisting of:

sodium concentration, chloride concentration, potassium concentration, calcium concentration, bicarbonate concentration, and magnesium concentration.

37. The system according to claim 32, wherein the obtainer obtains complex impedance data for the animal from a sensor.

38. The system according to claim 32, wherein the obtainer obtains complex impedance data for the animal from a data storage device.