This article describes the design, construction and parameters of diagnostic medical system for air humidity measurement which can be proceeded in various places of human nasal cavities and also human throat. The system can measure dynamic changes of dew point temperature (absolute value of humidity) of inspired and expired air in different places of human upper airways. During regular respiration process dew point temperature is measured in nasal cavity, middle part cavity and nasopharynx. The presented system is the next step in construction of measurement system based on specialized microsystem for laryngological application. The microsystem fabricated on silicon substrate includes microheater, microthermoresistor and interdigitated electrodes. In comparison with previously built measurement system with current version some system functionalities and measurement parameters were improved. Additionally 3D printing technology was applied for rapid prototyping a measurement system housing. Presented measurement system is set of microprocessor module with signal conditioning circuits; heated measurement head based on specialized microsystem with disposable heated pipe for air sucking from various places of upper airways; power supplier and computer application for monitoring all system parameters and presenting on-line and off-line measured results. Some example results of constructed measurement system and dew point temperature measurements during respiration cycle are presented.

Date Published: 25 October 2013
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 8903, Photonics Applications in Astronomy, Communications, Industry, and High-Energy Physics Experiments 2013, 89032J (25 October 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2041848

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8903:
Photonics Applications in Astronomy, Communications, Industry, and High-Energy Physics Experiments 2013
Ryszard S. Romaniuk, Editor(s)