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Clearer air, better recovery: How the combination of CO2 sensors and radar technology is changing the future of healthcare
Stephan Menze, Head of Global Innovation Management at Rutronik I
n hospitals and other care facilities, the quality of the air is of crucial importance for the well-being and health of patients and staff. Fresh air not only provides a pleasant environment, but also reduces the risk of disease transmission and promotes recovery. However, the motto “open the windows” is not enough on its own. Alternative solutions are required, especially in rooms where windows may not be opened or are not available at all, like intensive care units or operating theatres. The need for new approaches is exacerbated by staff shortages. This is because not all patients are able to open or close windows on their own and therefore frequently ring for a nurse or carer.
The combination of CO2 sensor technology and person detection with radar represents an innovative solution for improving and monitoring the air quality in these facilities. At the same time, work processes can be optimised and automated, if an appropriate ventilation system is available. This advanced technology not only enables the precise measurement of CO2 concentrations in real time, but also the identifi cation and tracking of the fl ow of people in the room. By
integrating these two functions, hospitals and care facilities can react to potential air quality problems in good time and take measures to adjust ventilation accordingly, minimising the risk of overcrowding and associated health risks.
Figure 1: Faster and cheaper to market: The RAB3 adapter board from Rutronik System Solutions uses only state-of-the-art components. A central component of the adapter board is the Nisshinbo 60 GHz Smart Sensor Micro-Module. The developer board is designed for testing a fully integrated module or a discrete development.
Maintaining privacy with seamless air quality monitoring
Figure 2: With the Infi neon XENSIV 60 GHz radar sensor, a discrete radar IC and thus the latest radar tech- nology is available on the RAB3 for testing applications. Thanks to its small form factor and low power con- sumption, this 60 GHz radar sensor has one transmit and three receive antennas.
18 JUNE 2024 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS
In any care facility, uninterrupted performance of the applications is crucial. Changing light conditions or dirt on the sensor cover must not be an obstacle to constant measurements. Otherwise, there would be a risk that warnings and the corresponding countermeasures regarding an excessively high CO2 concentration would be issued too late. A manual correction is then necessary. Until this takes place, however, there will be a delay in the other processes in day-to-day care. This can be avoided with radar, as the emitted waves are able to penetrate even glass or walls. The only requirement is that these are not leaded or too thick. Sensors can then be installed in such a way that they are integrated inconspicuously into housings or panels. They
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