Blood pressure is a major indicator of multiple health risks. There is a growing need for accurate non-invasive blood pressure (BP) measurement wearables that allow the users to monitor their BP continuously. However, current wearable technology doesn\u2019t provide accurate BP readings, and it needs to improve the sensor technology embedded in wearables by considering various factors, such as skin stiffness. Because the skin is located between the sensor in the wearables and the blood vessel, the properties of skin play a large part in the inaccuracy of these devices. In this project we have been attempting to characterize the age-dependent properties of skin. Because using actual human subjects is resource intensive and costly, we devised a method that generates the hybrid system which creates the human pulse waveforms repeatedly and consistently. We fabricated silicon skin samples with varying mechanical and geometric properties. A Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA) is used to measure the pressure on the surface of the skin while the reference human pulses are being generated in the tubing below the skin. By comparing the pressure at the surface of the skin to the pressure on the inside of the tube, we can find the effect skin has on measuring blood pressure non-invasively and develop a constant value, k, associated with skin stiffness. In Spring 2020 the research has been focused on setting up the method for testing and measuring preliminary data. This data showed that the set up will work for testing multiple skin samples next semester. This work is relevant to my intended career because it requires me to carefully plan a project, see the project through, and analyze the results. The process of research is much like engineering because I will be working on projects and must follow those same steps to ensure a successful outcome.<\/p>\n
Abstract:<\/strong> Miranda Eaton,<\/p>\n Faculty Advisor:<\/strong> Dr. Jeong-Hoi Koo, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering<\/p>\n