Introduction
Pulse is a commonly observed physiological phenomenon that provides crucial information of the cardiovascular system and other physiological processes (). Pulse measurement provides a physiological reference for blood pressure, blood flow, and other physiological tests. Additionally, the pulse wave itself serves as a valuable indicator of diagnostic information (). Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese traditional medicines depend on wrist pulse wave signal parameters for diagnosis of human health and potential diseases. Pulse detection is a simple, quick, and easy-to-use physiological health indicator, which is critic in many medical applications (). However, traditional pulse detection methods are predominantly reliant on subjective perception and touch by healthcare providers, leading to inaccuracies in diagnostic outcomes. Pulse and other human characteristics are subject to change over time and with varying environmental factors. As a result, individual measurements might result in additional measurement errors (). Modern pulse meters and pulse oximeters still have limitations. As an example, pulse measuring devices necessitate a consistent electric power source or battery (), imposing substantial limitations on their applicability in specific environments or use cases. This ultimately hampers their mobility and accessibility. Furthermore, the high cost of high-end pulse measuring devices is not economically viable for specific medical institutions or patient populations ().
As technology continues to evolve, more precise and objective pulse detection methods have emerged. In 2012, Wang’s team () successfully combined the triboelectric effect and the electrostatic induction principle to create a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that collects mechanical energy from the environment (). They affixed PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) and Kapton films, subsequently applying an electroplated metal electrode layer onto the surface to fabricate a TENG. Subsequent research by experts and scholars optimized TENG’s structure, materials, and production process. Further, using flexible printing technology, Meng’s team () achieved the first large-scale TENG production. Additionally, Wang’s team () used plasma technology to increase the TENG’s peak power density to 315 w/m2, which improved its overall performance by almost 25 times and laid a foundation for future TENG theoretical research by providing a new method to increase the dielectric layer’s charge density (). Since its invention, TENG based on Maxwell displacement current have shown explosive growth (), from the basic mechanism research (; ) to multi-functional practical applications (; ). Due to its exceptional voltage or current responsiveness to vibration, it has emerged as one of the most auspicious contenders for realizing self-powered systems (). TENG offers several advantages such as being lightweight, low-cost (), easy to manufacture, versatile, and having high toughness in comparison to biofuel cells, thermoelectric devices, electromagnetic, and piezoelectric generators (). Moreover, TENG’s friction material can be almost any existing material, making it suitable for a wide range of applications (As depicted in A of Figure 1) and solving most of the problems with current pulse detection devices. In summation, the realm of pulse detection applications holds significant promise for the utilization of TENG due to its immense potential ().
FIGURE 1
The TENG-based pulse detection sensor is more sensitive compared to traditional or larger analytical instruments. Upon contact with the patient’s skin, the TENG sensor detects the subtle vibrations of the pulse signal (
Nevertheless, all biological sensors inherently encounter irregular signal noise, presenting a hurdle to precise detection and analysis. Our study employs machine learning optimization algorithms and models to enhance the precision and effectiveness of TENG-based pulse detection sensors (
Within this paper, we delve into the efficacy of TENG-based pulse measurement sensors for blood pressure monitoring and diagnosis (
Self-powered TENG pulse detection
The technology of Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENG) has promising potentials in pulse detection. By harnessing the mechanical motion of human pulse, TENG generates electricity (
This study revealed that utilizing TENG for pulse measurement is an effective approach to health monitoring (
The prospect of machine learning in TENG-based pulse detection device
The integration of biosensors with machine learning (ML) in medical applications enhances the ability of healthcare systems and decision makers to process information, insights, and environmental data, enabling personalized medicine that minimizes misdiagnosis or late diagnosis (
Yao et al. proposed the TENG-Cat-System, a human self-propelled catalytic promotion system that improves cancer treatment by studying the electrostatic preorganization effect in natural enzymatic catalysis processes (
Currently, the monitoring of high-risk or diseased patients’ health primarily depends on clinical observations and laboratory diagnostic tools that can be expensive and inconvenient (
These instances underscore the prowess of machine learning in efficiently processing data and discerning patterns. Possessing the ability to use diverse training models and optimization algorithms, the pulse detection device employing TENG holds great promise as an essential tool in the health monitoring industry (
Discussion
Over the past few years, considerable progress has been made in the medical detection and clinical diagnosis field, utilizing pulse detection devices that rely on the Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) technology. Notwithstanding, several challenges persist that jeopardize the accuracy of the pulse detection devices. For instance, issues related to noise disruption and environmental factors continue to hinder the detection accuracy of these devices (
Several new mathematical tools and signal processing techniques can assist in processing pulse signals accurately, however, there is currently a shortage of disease sample databases that corresponds with pulse signals (
To overcome these challenges, an in-depth investigation of sensor acquisition is imperative. Long-term tracking of a large number of hypertensive patients and healthy individuals in diverse states must also be conducted (
Statements
Author contributions
YT and ZZ conceptualization and writing–original draft. YT, CH, DP, and ZZ supervision and funding acquisition. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
Funding
This work is supported by Chongqing Technology Innovation and Application Development Special Key Project (No. CSTB2022TIAD-KPX0186) and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Automatic Detecting Technology and Instruments (No. YQ23211).
Conflict of interest
Author DP was employed by the company Chongqing Megalight Technology Co., Ltd.
The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Summary
Keywords
artificial intelligence, triboelectric nanogenerators, pulse detection, TENG, AI
Citation
Tian Y, Hu C, Peng D and Zhu Z (2023) Self-powered intelligent pulse sensor based on triboelectric nanogenerators with AI assistance. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. 11:1236292. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1236292
Received
07 June 2023
Accepted
06 September 2023
Published
15 September 2023
Volume
11 - 2023
Edited by
Guangli Li, Hunan University of Technology, China
Reviewed by
Haiyang Zou, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
Yanchao Mao, Zhengzhou University, China
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© 2023 Tian, Hu, Peng and Zhu.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Deguang Peng, pengdeguang@163.com; Zhiyuan Zhu, zyuanzhu@swu.edu.cn
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.