Skin Color Monitor
Client: John G. Webster, Ph.D.
Advisor: William L. Murphy, Ph.D.
Team Hotflash
Jack Ho – Team Leader
Joseph Yuen – BWIG
Brian Ginter – BSAC
Patrick Kurkiewicz – Communications
Outline
Problem Statement
Background
Current Devices
Design Constraints
Design Ideas
Design Matrix
Circuitry
Future Work
Problem Statement
Detecting hot flashes
Change in skin color
Wearable monitoring device
Comfort
Used in therapeutic drug testing
Background Information
Hot flashes
Occur during menopause
Are marked by feeling of intense heat and sweating
Device
When capillaries fill with blood, skin changes color
Device measures differences in skin color, denoting a
hot flash
Device stores data for use in research and drug
testing
Current Devices
BIOLOG Hot Flash Monitor
Heavy (200 g)
Bulky (3.3 x 7 x 13 cm)
Runs wires from electrodes to belt monitor
device
24 hour battery life
Expensive
Monitor - $2200
http://www.ufiservingscience.com/HFMon1.html
Software - $2000
Design Constraints
Size
< 6 cm x 6 cm x 1 cm
Weight
< 50 g
Comfort & Attachment
No sharp edges, non-irritant
Price
< $7 USD
Appearance
Small, Sleek, Smooth
Design 1 (barrier)
Material
Hard Plastic
Distance from Skin
Ideally 2mm
Pros and Cons
Pros Cons
Firm sturdy shape Harder, more rigid
plastic
Harder to shape
More durable
Still could be
more focused
Design 2 (cave design)
Material
Firm rubber (like an eraser)
Distance from Skin
Ideally 2mm
Pros and Cons
Pros Cons
Smooth Shape Light could be
(less noticeable) more focused.
Rubbery (more Monitor may
comfortable bend/flex (causing
Low Cost (parts different readings
about $5) from PD)
Design 3 (laser)
Material
Hard plastic
Pros and Cons
Pros Cons
Light source and Laser diode may
receiver is on be expensive
same side Laser potentially
No barrier needed dangerous
– all light received
will be from skin
reflection
Design Matrix
Cave Barrier Laser
Comfort (0.15) 9 6 6
Cost (0.2) 7 8 2
Ease of construction 7 6 4
(0.15)
Light Detection (0.25) 7 5 6
Safety (0.15) 9 7 5
Durability (0.1) 7 8 6
Total 7.6 6.45 4.75
Circuitry
Base circuitry
LED’s
Photodiodes
Op Amps
Future Work
Discuss with client
Choose design
Work on circuit model
Begin testing
Prototype
Questions?
References
UFI Hot flash monitoring tools, electrodes, and accessories.
http://www.ufiservingscience.com/HFMon1.html