Influence on Measurement Signal by Pressure and Viscosity Changes of Fluid and Installation Condition of FBG Sensor Using Blood Flow Simulation Model

Abstract

We are working on the development of a sensor that can calculate various vital signs from the signals measured by installing a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor at the pulsation point of a living body. In this paper, the influence of blood flow parameters and sensor installation conditions on the FBG sensor signal was verified using two blood flow simulation models. From the results of our study, the following observations were made. The fluid pressure increases, the wavelength shift of the FBG sensor beca me larger. By contrast, an increase in the viscosity of the fluid was seen to cause a decrease in the displacement length of the Bragg wavelength. Fluid pressure and viscosity were observed to opposite effects on the FBG sensor signal. The Bragg wavelength shift of the FBG sensor was observed to be larger when the installation direction of the FBG sensor was perpendicular to the blood flow direction than in the parallel direction. However, FBG sensor signals with higher signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio were measured at an angle of 75 degrees than at an angle of 90 degrees, which is perpendicular to the blood flow direction. From the above results, the installation condition of the FBG sensor on the measurement signal and the influence of each parameter of blood flow were established.