AUTOMATED ACQUISITION-SYSTEM FOR ROUTINE, NONINVASIVE MONITORING OF PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA

A fully automated, noninvasive data-acquisition system was developed t o permit long-term measurement of physiological functions at home, wit hout disturbing subjects' normal routines. The system consists of unco nstrained monitors built into furnishings and structures in a home env ironment. An electrocardiographic (ECG) monitor in the bathtub measure s heart function during bathing, a temperature monitor in the bed meas ures body temperature, and a weight monitor built into the toilet serv es as a scale to record weight. All three monitors are connected to on e computer and function with data-acquisition programs and a data form at rule. The unconstrained physiological parameter monitors and fully automated measurement procedures collect data noninvasively without th e subject's awareness. The system was tested for 1 week by a healthy m ale subject, aged 28, in laboratory-based facilities.