CZ301867B6 - Device for sensing and/or monitoring and/or analysis of physiological signals from horse body surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device consisting of a sensing unit (2) for measuring skin resistance and/or a measuring and analyzing unit (3) for measuring bioimpedance and/or a unit (4) for measuring ECG and/or a module (5) provided with a therapeutic unit for electrostimulation and/or a thermocamera (6), which all are connected to a control, analyzing and visualization unit (1). The invention can be particularly used for sensing, and/or monitoring and/or analysis of physiological signals from horse body surface and when applying microcurrent therapy and stimulation of horses.

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a device for sensing and / or monitoring and / or analyzing physiological signals from the surface of a horse body and for applying micro-current therapy and stimulating horses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nowadays, in the world and in the Czech Republic, considerable attention is paid to alternative procedures in veterinary medicine. Just as some time ago in classical human medicine, so-called holistic medicine, which uses new, different procedures, is becoming increasingly popular in animal care. Numerous technical aids contribute to the application of these processes, the user-friendly implementation of which is a prerequisite for their successful use.

Perspective methods applied in the care of horses include on-line measurement and analysis of selected parameters of the cardiovascular system (ECG, bioimpedance), as well as monitoring the thermal image of the horse's body surface (during exercise, after application of therapeutic procedures, etc.). micro-current stimulation of muscles and acupuncture points. Acupuncture points can be influenced by pressure, heat or needle puncture. With the gradual development of acupuncture, hot spot irritation methods have grown to electric, magnet, light, essential oils and other natural substances. Originally, acupuncture was used only in humans, but gradually spread to the animal area. An essential prerequisite for horse acupuncture therapy is the automatic optimization and positioning of acupuncture points and pathways to which surface skin resistance measurements can be used. Furthermore, in holistic medicine, physiological changes of skin resistance are monitored in various states and phases of horse training, or other biological variables.

For this purpose, a compact technical device that meets the above requirements and is optimized for use on horses and other large mammals is not yet available. There are instruments that measure individual modalities in isolation, and the measurement chain typically consists of many instruments, mostly intended for use in human medicine.

For the reasons described above, a drawback of the present methods is a cumbersome, poorly displaceable and adjustable system in which problems with synchronization of the acquired data occur. So far there is no device that simply integrates the necessary features into the functional unit, including evaluation of measured data and control of the stimulation process.

Another disadvantage of current solutions is their high cost, which is derived from the fact that current systems are typically composed of several devices, often designed originally for human medicine. Another disadvantage of current solutions is also the mutual isolation of individual measuring and evaluation units - data must be transmitted using classical magnetic or optical media and the course of the experiment or therapy cannot be monitored in real time on-line, which is not an optimal solution in the Internet and telemedicine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above drawbacks are largely overcome by the device for sensing and / or monitoring and / or analyzing physiological signals from the surface of the horse's body and for applying micro-current therapy and horse stimulation according to the present invention. In essence, it consists of a skin resistance measuring unit and / or a bioimpedance measurement and analysis unit and / or an ECG measurement unit and a module with a therapeutic electrostimulation unit and / or a thermal imager, which are connected to the control, analysis and visualization unit.

The device is preferably provided with a replaceable auxiliary module for measuring the auxiliary voltage-transferable signal. The device may be provided with an archiving unit to create a long-term Holter recorder of monitored quantities. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a wireless communication unit for on-line telemetric transmission of the monitored quantities.

The skin resistance measuring unit and / or the bioimpedance measuring unit and / or the ECG measuring unit and / or the module with the therapeutic electrostimulation unit and / or the thermal camera and / or the control, analysis and visualization unit preferably comprise an evaluation firmware for integrated evaluation of measured signals and determination, display and memorization of values and trends of monitored diagnostic parameters and for their transmission via computer network.

In a preferred embodiment, the device is provided with a diagram of the location of application points on the surface of the horse body.

The device integrates into a compact functional unit the modalities, listed below, useful as a complement to holistic horse medicine.

It is the object of the present invention that all or selected modalities can be viewed together in real time on a monitor of the display unit of the apparatus by the described device, and stored and simultaneously analyzed on-line or off-line. Part of the solution is also firmware, which integrates all the mentioned modalities in a unique way. For example, it allows simultaneous combined analysis of ECG and thoracic bioimpedance, leading to non-invasive determination of horse haemodynamic parameters and a number of other DSP methodologies that go beyond the conventional conventional measurement of these individual isolated modalities. The system also allows to determine trends in short and long term development of monitored parameters.

The advantage of this solution is that, together with measurement and diagnostics, therapeutic microcurrent stimulation of the horse's skin surface can be performed and the system's immediate real responses to induced stimuli can be monitored. Thus, for example, the acupuncture points of the horse can be stimulated, the position of which can be continuously optimized by monitoring the output of the integrated skin resistance measuring module, or by applying a micro-current massage regeneration of the horse muscles. The solution also includes a diagram of optimized positions of contact points on the horse body, on which it is recommended to attach the sensing and therapeutic probes; these positions are the result of long-term experience and adherence to them increases the likelihood of successful diagnostic / therapeutic intervention.

This device can be used for automated monitoring of the development of the animal during training or during therapy and for objectification of data for holistic veterinary diagnostics, because the test results and the course of therapy can be automatically stored in the internal memory of the device. Transfer the Internet to any PC workstation.

Due to the described technical solution, the device is more mechanically resistant than commercially available systems, typically composed of several isolated units with limited communication capability.

Furthermore, the system of the present invention, due to its compact design, is less costly both in terms of cost, operation and maintenance, while maintaining sufficient measurement accuracy to monitor living objects and automatically following prescribed microcurrent therapy procedures while maintaining the flexibility of a very flexible user experience. Settings.

-2GB 301867 B6

The device can be used both to support one-time diagnosis / therapy of horses - data and results are available during and immediately after the intervention, as well as for long-term monitoring / monitoring and on-line analysis of measured data in stables, enclosures or terrain These data are stored on the internal storage medium, some of the results are available on-line during monitoring, the rest after evaluation and analysis off-line.

Furthermore, the system can be advantageously used in situations where the use of a combined electro-diagnostic-therapeutic device, designed and optimized for veterinary purposes, designed in a compact, robust and multifunctional design, tuned to the challenging field diagnostic environment.

Overview of the drawings

An apparatus for sensing and / or monitoring and / or analyzing physiological signals from the surface of a horse body and for applying the micro-current therapy and stimulation of horses of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a circuit diagram. Fig. 2 schematically shows lead locations for positioning ECG electrodes. Figures 3a to 3c show three variants of leakage sites for measuring skin resistance, and Figure 4 shows leakage sites for monitoring the horse's mental reactions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As can be seen from the example shown in the accompanying Fig. 1, the realized device consists of scanning / therapy units 2 to 7, connected to the control, analysis and visualization unit I, as well as an optional archive unit 8 and a wireless communication unit 9.

The function of the units in this assembly is as follows: The skin resistance measuring unit 2 senses the skin resistance by measuring the voltage drop while passing a constant current through the skin surface segment; the range of sensed resistors is 0 to 1 ΜΩ. The measuring and analyzing unit 3 for measuring the bioimpedance senses the bioimpedance, it is alternately driven by a constant current with a selectable frequency, according to the selected program, in the range of 0 to 1 MHz. The ECG unit 4 senses one bipolar ECG lead, 8 mV input range, 0.05 to 250 Hz sensing range, 115 dB CMRR. Module 5 with the therapeutic unit for electrostimulation serves for the application of electostimulatory waveforms with adjustable waveforms and pulse frequency, according to the selected therapeutic program, the current used is selectable in the range of 20 to 500 microamperes. Thermo40 camera 6 is a programmable input interface for downloading images - the technical parameters of the image are given by the used thermal imager, the currently used interface type is USB. By means of the replaceable add-on module 7, the measurement of any add-on signal that can be converted to voltage can currently be included in the system, currently comprising a module for measuring the body temperature of the horse by a rectal probe. The signals from all sensing units are synchronously sampled at a common frequency of 500 Hz.

The control, analysis and visualization unit I contains special evaluation firmware for integrated evaluation of measured signals and determination, display and memorization of values and trends of monitored diagnostic parameters. It allows you to choose from several sets of diagnostic / therapeutic programs with the possibility to define your own custom parameter sets. It also allows you to choose between three modes: 1) automatic one-time test / therapy application, 2) holter monitoring of monitored parameters with recording on optional archiving unit 8 - currently used MMC / SD card, 3) continuous on-line telemetric monitoring of selected parameters in real time using an optional wireless communication unit

9 - currently used WiFi interface.

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The whole device can be powered from the built-in Li-Pol battery, optionally it is possible to use a power adapter with medical electrical department, in this set the device can be used as part of a special holistic examination, which is used for comprehensive diagnosis of horses. Preset programs include monitoring the state of the cardiovascular system of horses during training - calculating hemodynamic parameters from the course of the chest bioimpedance signal and ECG, searching for and optimizing acupuncture points in horses, active micro-current stimulation of horse acupuncture points, micro-current massage after exercise, development during stimulation.

Part of the device is the methodology of application of individual modalities, the necessary component of which are the placement schemes of measuring probes, such as electrodes, for sensing individual quantities on the surface of the horse body - these diagrams contain Figures 2 to 4. the ECG electrodes are located. The connection between the electrodes forms a triangle. The grounding electrode is mounted in the area of the breast bone. The negative electrode is captured on the tap. The positive electrode is attached to the left hip in the heart region. In addition, in FIG. 3, the recommended and tested skin resistance sensing points are indicated, again showing the oval points in the drawings: for the region in FIG. 3a, one of the electrodes is placed in the blade end region and the other in the shoulder joint region; 3b, one of the electrodes is placed about 5 cm below the elbow joint and the other "just" above the carpal joint, for the area of Fig. 3c the electrodes are placed on the crown, one on the front and the other on the back from the left side the limb, the crown is where the horn of the hoof grows), the area in Fig. 4 defines the leakage points for monitoring the horse's mental reactions; these are located in the back of the back as shown.

Industrial applicability

The device according to the invention finds particular use in sensing and / or monitoring and / or analyzing physiological signals from the surface of a horse body and in the application of micro-current therapy and horse stimulation. The range of diagnostic-therapeutic interventions that can be supported by this facility includes, for example, identifying and optimizing horse acupuncture pathways and electrostimulating acupuncture points, monitoring and evaluating equine cardiovascular system parameters, ie ECG combined with hemodynamic parameters from thoracic bioimpedance training, during therapy, determination of the heat map of the horse before, during and after the load, possibly at other stimulation, for example therapeutic, and further a micro-current massage regeneration of horse muscles.

Claims (6)

PATENT CLAIMS Apparatus for sensing and / or monitoring and / or analyzing physiological signals from a horse's body surface and for applying micro-current therapy and horse stimulation, characterized in that it comprises a sensing unit (2) for measuring skin resistance and / or measuring and analyzing a bioimpedance measurement unit (3) and / or an ECG measurement unit (4) and a module (5) with an electrostimulation therapy unit and / or a thermocamera (6) connected to a control, analysis, and start-up unit (1) ). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with a replaceable auxiliary module (7) for measuring a voltage-transferable auxiliary signal. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is provided with an archiving unit (8) for producing a long-term Holter data logger. 301867 B6 Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a wireless communication unit (9) for on-line telemetric transmission of monitored quantities. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the skin resistance measuring unit (2) and / or the measuring and analyzing unit (3) for the bioimpedance measurement and / or the ECG measuring unit (4) and the module (4). 5) with the therapy unit for electrostimulation and / or thermocamera (6) and / or control, analysis and visualization unit (1), contains evaluation firmware for integrated evaluation of measured signals and determinations, as well as displaying and memorizing values and trends of monitored diagnostic parameters computer network transmission. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is provided with a diagram of the location of the application points on the surface of the horse body.