Non-conscious and automatic acquisition of body and excreta weight together with ballistocardiogram in a lavatory

Abstract

For the purpose of health care monitoring during daily life, the authors attempted to devise a non-conscious monitoring system, set up in a lavatory, for the automatic acquisition of body weight, weight of urine and feces, together with ballistocardiogram as an index of cardiac function during relieving nature. The system consists of (i) a weight measuring platform (WMP) in which 4 load sensors were installed, and (ii) a data processing, displaying and storing (PDS) unit. The platform was placed on the float adjacent to a toilet bowl, and also supported the toilet seat so that the total body weight could be detected by the load sensors even in either case of standing or sitting on the seat. The prototype WMP had a weight resolution of about 5 gf, and thus those data could be accurately determined in an automatic manner with an appropriate processing. This paper describes an outline of the system, its performance and examples of measuring results, and a possible evaluation of cardiac function obtained from the ballistocardiogram is also discussed.