More precise respiratory rate tracking through wearables
What if your wearable could reliably track how you breathe? This is the question behind the SEFAS paper presented at IEEE MeMeA (Medical Measurements and Applications) this year in Chania, Greece.
By: Eli S. Vidhammer
Published: (Updated: )
Respiratory rate (RR) is one of the body’s most important vital signs. Changes in how we breathe can provide early warning of health deterioration, but today’s direct measurement methods are often costly and sometimes lack precision.
A more accessible alternative is to utilize sensors already found in many smartwatches and wearable devices, known as photoplethysmography (PPG), which is typically used to measure pulse and oxygen saturation. The challenge, however, is that PPG signals are easily disturbed by movement and noise, making accurate breathing measurements difficult.
In a recent study, we investigated a new method that combines advanced wavelet-based signal processing with a mathematical model designed to adapt to the data. This approach not only estimates breathing rate but also provides insights into the signal’s behavior, potentially enhancing its usefulness in clinical applications.
Initial tests show promising results, with the new method aligning closely with the gold-standard reference for respiratory monitoring. Our findings suggest that wearables could, in the near future, move beyond tracking heart rate to providing accurate and reliable insights into how we breathe!