Publications

@article{Bradbury2022-ih,

title = {Fibre Bragg grating based interface pressure sensor for 

 compression therapy},

author = {James A Bradbury and Qimei Zhang and Francisco U Hernandez Ledezma and Ricardo Correia and Serhiy Korposh and Barrie R Hayes-Gill and Ferdinand Tamou\'{e} and Alison Parnham and Simon A McMaster and Stephen P Morgan},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-02-01},

journal = {Sensors (Basel)},

volume = {22},

number = {5},

pages = {1798},

publisher = {MDPI AG},

abstract = {Compression therapy is widely used as the gold standard for 

 management of chronic venous insufficiency and venous leg 

 ulcers, and the amount of pressure applied during the 

 compression therapy is crucial in supporting healing. A fibre 

 optic pressure sensor using Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBGs) is 

 developed in this paper to measure sub-bandage pressure whilst 

 removing cross-sensitivity due to strain in the fibre and 

 temperature. The interface pressure is measured by an FBG 

 encapsulated in a polymer and housed in a textile to minimise 

 discomfort for the patient. The repeatability of a manual 

 fabrication process is investigated by fabricating and 

 calibrating ten sensors. A customized calibration setup 

 consisting of a programmable translation stage and a weighing 

 scale gives sensitivities in the range 0.4-1.5 pm/mmHg (2.6-11.3 

 pm/kPa). An alternative calibration method using a rigid plastic 

 cylinder and a blood pressure cuff is also demonstrated. 

 Investigations are performed with the sensor under a compression 

 bandage on a phantom leg to test the response of the sensor to 

 changing pressures in static situations. Measurements are taken 

 on a human subject to demonstrate changes in interface pressure 

 under a compression bandage during motion to mimic a clinical 

 application. These results are compared to the current gold 

 standard medical sensor using a Bland-Altman analysis, with a 

 median bias ranging from -4.6 to -20.4 mmHg, upper limit of 

 agreement (LOA) from -13.5 to 2.7 mmHg and lower LOA from -32.4 

 to -7.7 mmHg. The sensor has the potential to be used as a 

 training tool for nurses and can be left in situ to monitor 

 bandage pressure during compression therapy.},

keywords = {compression therapy, fibre bragg grating, optical fibre sensor, sub-bandage pressure sensor, venous leg ulcer},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}