Non-contact heart rate monitoring utilizing camera photoplethysmography in the neonatal intensive care unit — A pilot study

• Published in: Early human development Vol. 89; no. 12; pp. 943 - 948
• Main Authors: Aarts, Lonneke A.M, Jeanne, Vincent, Cleary, John P, Lieber, C, Nelson, J. Stuart, Bambang Oetomo, Sidarto, Verkruysse, Wim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.12.2013
• Subjects: Advanced Basic Science; Ambient light; California; Contact sensor; Contactless; Heart Rate - physiology; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Mother–child bonding; Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine; Netherlands; Newborn; Photoplethysmography - methods; Pilot Projects; PPG; Premature infant; Pulse oximetry; Remote; Skin damage; Unobtrusive; Vital signs; Netherlands; California; Skin damage; Premature infant; Newborn; Contact sensor; PPG; Ambient light; Remote; Vital signs; Pulse oximetry; Mother–child bonding; Contactless; Unobtrusive
• ISSN: 0378-3782; 1872-6232
• DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2013.09.016

Abstract Background Presently the heart rate is monitored in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with contact sensors: electrocardiogram or pulse oximetry. These techniques can cause injuries and infections, particularly in very premature infants with fragile skin. Camera based plethysmography was recently demonstrated in adults as a contactless method to determine heart rate. Aim To investigate the feasibility of this technique for NICU patients and identify challenging conditions. Study design and participants Video recordings using only ambient light were made of 19 infants at two NICUs in California and The Netherlands. Heart rate can be derived from these recordings because each cardiovascular pulse wave induces minute pulsatile skin color changes, invisible to the eye but measurable with a camera. Results In all infants the heart beat induced photoplethysmographic signal was strong enough to be measured. Low ambient light level and infant motion prevented successful measurement from time to time. Conclusions Contactless heart rate monitoring by means of a camera using ambient light was demonstrated for the first time in the NICU population and appears feasible. Better hardware and improved algorithms are required to increase robustness.