Development of a RF contactless respiratory rate monitor

Radio-frequency (RF) applications are extremely common in current days, and the extension of its use to the medical field is constantly in development. One such application is the contactless and non-invasive detection of Respiratory Rate (RR). A two-antenna RF system was developed based on the measurement of the attenuation suffered by RF waves when they cross the thorax or are reflected by the chest wall. Monitoring the interference in the power of the received wave, RR was calculated with errors from 0.41 to 1.06 breaths per minute. It was concluded that the system was able to acquire RR in a precise, contactless and non-invasive way.

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