North Carolina Patent of the Month – March 2023
Traditional health monitors and environmental monitors may be bulky, rigid, and uncomfortable—generally not suitable for use during daily physical activity. Valencell, Inc. has designed a headset that is comfortable and easy to use, making it perfect for use during physical activity.
The headset sits in the ear, just as comfortably as any other earbud or bluetooth device. The base of the device has a speaker, optical emitter and detector. Light is directed into the ear canal and collected by the optical detector. A series of sensors and signal processors then read the light transmission, extracting useful biometric information such as body temperature, skin temperature, blood gas levels, muscle tension, heart rate, blood flow, cardiopulmonary functions, etc. This is achieved by reading the scattered light, capturing blood flow patterns and converting this into usable data using Valencell’s proprietary Deep-PPG neural network.
This light-based biometric technology is not new. In fact, Valencell has pioneered this method, breathing life into wearable photolethysmography (PPG) sensors for over a decade. The vast majority of blinking lights on the back of a smartwatch or fitness band are powered by Valencell’s technology. Valencell’s newly patented headset expands the options for wearable biometric readers. Traditional tech, like rings and watches, may get in the way depending on the activity. An earbud is discrete and easily worn during most of the day.
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