A Smart Wearable Device Using Graphene Material-Based Sensor for Neonatal Respiration Monitoring

Respiration monitoring is critical for the clinical treatment and nursing of neonates. Existing respiration monitoring protocols rely either on the indirect measurements of thoracic impedance or on other invasive techniques that pose a risk of discomfort and infection to infants. In addition, multiple wire loops around the infants hinder the delivery of parental and clinical care. Based on this demand, a graphene material-based neonatal respiration monitoring device was proposed. The system has the advantages of precision, flexibility, less pressure on the neonatal body, and suitable for embedding in daily clothing. Performance parameters, including stress, sensitivity, stability, and response/relaxation time of the sensor, were tested. Furthermore, the feasibility of the system was tested on a total of six neonates at the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. The experimental results showed that the system had a strong correlation with the medical level multiparameter measurement equipment in respiratory measurement. Therefore, the system could serve as an alternative to the conventional respiratory monitoring system, making it a certain appeal in clinical and home applications.