Apparatus and method for monitoring breathing magnetically

摘要

Apparatus for monitoring breathing and for indicating a rate of breathing outside of a predetermined rate limit includes a sensing element adapted to be worn by a wearer so that the sensing element partakes of body motion due to breathing of the wearer and a detector, remote from the sensing element. The detector is responsive to motion of the sensing element for providing an alarm signal when the motion is outside of the predetermined rate limit. The sensing element contains no internal moving parts or circuitry, contains no battery or other source of electrical power whatsoever, requires no electrical contact with the wearer or with any other object, and requires no constraining or confining clothing, webbing, or the like. The sensing element includes a permanent magnet and the detector includes a magnetic detector for monitoring a magnetic field caused by the magnet and for providing the alarm signal when a measured rate of variation of the magnetic field is detected to be outside of the predetermined rate limit. Thus, the alarm signal indicates the rate of breathing to be outside of the predetermined rate limit.