Measurement of Blood Pressure using magnetic method of blood pulse acquisition

Current cuffless method of Arterial Blood Pressure (ABP) measurements can be continuously calculated from pulse wave velocity and the Pulse Transit Time (PTT). PTT is usually recorded as the time delay from the R wave of Electrocardiographic (ECG) signal to the upstroke of a peripheral pulse wave signal measured using Photoplethysmographic (PPG) sensors or alternatively from the sound of Phonocardiographic (PCG) signal. This paper proposes an alternative novel method of measuring the magnetic disturbance, using a Giant-Magneto-Resistance (GMR) based sensor, created by blood flow in a uniform magnetic field for peripheral pulse wave signal measurements allowing an optical independent measurement system for ABP. The magnetic disturbance created by blood flow in a uniform magnetic field allows for the sensing of the peripheral pulse wave. Measurements were done on 10 subjects aged between 22 to 25 years old where the ABP measured using the PTT correlates well within 8% error with respect to the Mean Arterial blood Pressure (MAP) measured from commercially available cuff based automated ABP measurement devices.