Comfortable, inexpensive nosepiece respiration monitor produces rapid response signals to most conventional high impedance medical signal conditioners. The monitor measures respiration in a manner that produces a large signal with minimum delay

Lavery, A. L.

Long, L. E.

Rice, N. E.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

7t
Grommet 
Zero Adj 
1000 Panel 
December 1968	 Brief 68-10438 
NASA TECH BRIEF	
A All 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Informatiow, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Nosepiece Respiration Monitor 
Power 
The problem: 
In the monitoring of the respiration rate and ampli-
tude of a patient, or research subject, it is desirable 
to produce a fast response in readout devices with a 
sensor that neither encumbers nor discomforts. Prior 
art devices have incorporated chestbands or headgear 
that are cumbersome and have been expensive in 
themselves and designed for use with expensive ancil-
lary equipment. 
The solution: 
A nosepiece respiration monitor that is small, com-
fortable for the wearer, inexpensive, and that pro-
duces rapid response signals to most conventional 
high impedance medical signal conditioners.
How it's done: 
This monitor uses inexpensive components and 
measures respiration in a manner that produces a large 
signal with minimum delay. The system incorporates 
the fast response of a heated thermistor to ambient 
temperature changes. The thermistor is heated to an 
impedance of approximately 1000 ohms, from which 
state it is cooled by patient breath inspiration and 
warmed by patient breath expiration as the sensor 
rests beneath the patient's nostrils. The lead wires 
travel above the patient's ears and form.a grommet-
contained harness about his head simply and neatly 
and comfortably. High amplitude response and zero 
baseline of the system are due to the dual thermistor 
(continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19680000437 2020-03-12T05:59:42+00:00Z
bridge arrangement shown in the sketch; the bridge	 Patent status: 
yields approximately 22 mv/2°C (11 mv/2°C per 	 Inquiries about obtaining rights for the commercial 
thermistor). The nulled output may be fed to any	 use of this invention may be made to NASA, Code 
high impedance dc amplifier, signal conditioner, 	 GP, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
oscilloscope or recording device.	 Source: Lennart E. Long, Norman E. Rice, 
'Note:	 '	 and Adelbert L. Lavery 
Inquiries concerning this invention may be directed 	 (ERC10136)
to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
Electronics Research Center 
575 Technology Square 
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 
Reference: B68-10438 
Brief 68-10438	 Category 01


Nosepiece respiration monitor

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