Method and device for measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in an environment with extreme levels of noise and vibrations

Abstract

A method and a device for measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in an environment comprising extreme levels of noise and vibrations is disclosed. Blood pressure signals corresponding to the heart beat are detected using a first acoustic sensor placed on a patient near an artery. A second acoustic transducer is placed on the patient away from the artery for detecting noise and vibrations. Pressure is applied to the artery forcing the artery to close. The pressure is then reduced and while reducing the pressure the acoustic signals detected by the first and second acoustic sensor as well as a signal indicative of the pressure applied to the artery are provided to a processing unit. The signal of the first acoustic sensor is then processed using an adaptive interferer canceller algorithm with the signal of the second acoustic sensor as interferer. From the processed signal heart beat pulses are determined and relating the heart beat pulses to the pressure signal provides the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Use of the adaptive interferer canceller provides good results for measurements performed under extreme levels of noise and vibrations such as aboard a helicopter.