Bio-impedance Simulation Platform using 3D Time-Varying Impedance Grid for Arterial Pulse Wave Modeling

Abstract

Accurate measurement of various parameters including the arrival time, velocity, and pressure of the arterial pulse wave is essential for continuous monitoring of hemodynamic parameters and early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. Noninvasive sensors such as bio-impedance (Bio-Z) have been used to measure the arterial pulse wave by sensing the change in blood volume. However, the measured hemodynamic parameters are significantly affected by the electrode positioning relative to the artery and the electrode configuration. In this work, we created a Bio-Z simulation platform using a 3D time-varying impedance grid to model the arterial pulse wave. This platform can be used to guide design decisions (i.e. electrode placement relative to the artery and electrode configuration) prior to experimentation. We present simulations of the arterial pulse waveform for different sensor locations, current injection frequencies, and artery depths. The simulations are validated by measurements. This model will enable designers and researchers to create time-varying hemodynamic signals and rapidly test the effectiveness of circuits and algorithms without the need for extensive and burdensome experimentation.