Video-based recognition of persons’ heart and breathing rates is no longer new, but the technology has been limited to people with light skin who are well illuminated by external lighting. Researchers at Rice University have developed their own version of the technique, which they call DistancePPG, that is able to compensate for different skin tones, patient movement, and the ambient lighting wherever it’s being used.
The team used an algorithm that both averaged the color changes of the whole face and monitored individual areas as well. This allowed the team to significantly improve the scope of where such a system may be practically used, hopefully leading to its wide adoption in neonatal wards and other clinical environments where patients need to be kept under close supervision, but with minimal wiring.
Here’s a Rice University video showing off the new technology:
Link: DistancePPG info page…
Study in Biomedical Optics Express: DistancePPG: Robust non-contact vital signs monitoring using a camera…
Source: Rice University…