Effective monitoring of a fetus may require continuous assessment that is commonly performed using electronic technology. However, the escalation of the frequency of normal births by C-section has called into question the validity of using present monitoring techniques to identify the fetus at risk.
Reducing the number of unnecessary C- sections and in general reducing the number of babies that are seriously ill at birth is a national healthcare priority in an effort to reduce the cost of both short and long term healthcare.
The difficulties in monitoring fetal well-being have long been recognized by the medical profession but current technology fails to satisfy many existing needs in fetal ECG monitoring in supporting clinical assessments of fetal health.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab (JHU APL) have developed a Fetal Heart Rate Monitor (FHRM) able to monitor the fetal condition in an objective, quantitative, and non-invasive manner.
The FHRM enables continuous and highly specific data collection during pre-natal development and the intra-partum period. This monitoring device is able to aid in the fetal and maternal treatment planning regimen potentially earlier than is presently feasible.
The FHRM is able to maintain a clear operative field, accommodate the movement of the mother and fetus, and is usable for a relevant portion of gestation. The device also provides output that includes fetal electrocardiogram waveform in addition to the fetal heart rate and description of heart rate variability.
Another research development taking place at JHU APL is the development of a more reliable device to enable the effective use of batteries for health monitoring. Existing methods of battery health monitoring often rely on periodic testing and therefore miss long time intervals when a battery’s health can be compromised. Many battery systems are connected together so when one battery in the chain malfunctions, the entire system is then made non-functional.
Finding that one failed battery can take time and can cause potential downtime when the system is required to operate. This could be disastrous to applications such as in the case of critical electronic communications and medical equipment.
Researchers and collaborators at JHU APL have developed a battery health monitor called BEAMIT, a device put in each battery in between the positive and negative terminals. BEAMIT gets its power from the battery itself and functions both in the charging and discharging during normal operation or in standby mode.
It also has a built in transmitter, to transmit the battery health data to a computer along with an individual identification code. Because BEAMIT is small and embedded in the battery’s case, it uses very little power and it is very inexpensive to use.
The JHU APL Technology Transfer Office has further information on the devices. The Tech Transfer Office is the link between JHU APL research and companies who can transition the research to the local, national, and international marketplace.
U.S patents have been issued for both devices. For more information on the Fetal Heart Rate Monitor and the Battery Heart Monitor, 240-228-8690 or go to techtransfer@jhuapl.edu or go to www.jhuapl.edu.