This study is aimed at non-invasive extraction of cardiovascular and respiratory
parameters from red-green-blue (RGB) and thermal imaging cameras from patients in the
intensive care unit (ICU) setting. The main focus of this study is in assessing the
feasibility of implementing such a camera-based system for prolonged monitoring of
patients, identifying limiting factors which may interfere with accuracy or practical
aspects of the system, and postulating solutions to overcoming these.

Non-Invasive Vital Signs Monitoring (NIVS) Project

Hemodynamic Monitoring

Monitoring, Physiologic

Non-invasive monitoring of vital signs is an area that is gaining increasing popularity
in clinical practise due to its advantages of increased comfort to patients and reduced
risk of transmission of multidrug resistant organisms. This study aims to assess the
feasibility of using RGB cameras and thermal imaging cameras for monitoring of heart rate
and rhythm and respiratory rate and rhythm in the intensive care setting.

Videos of patients are taken in the ICU of a Maltese University-affiliated tertiary
hospital (Mater Dei Hospital) under varying conditions, including varying light
intensity, different patient positions and periods of time where clinical staff are
performing regular care tasks and minor interventions such as bloodletting. Patients
enrolled will be able to provide consent for the study after being given a detailed
explanation of the study aims, data collected, data storage and processing and any other
information they may wish to know.

The video data will be analysed via a convolutional neural network which has been
previously trained to extract cardiovascular and respiratory parameters from videos taken
from healthy volunteers in a non-clinical setting (a laboratory located in the University
of Malta). The heart rate and respiratory rate extracted from patient videos are then
compared to ground truth data obtained by current gold standard contact monitoring (data
collected from Phillips Intellivue monitors used throughout the ICU) and assessed for
accuracy. The practicality of setting up a camera-based system in the intensive care
setting and potential means of overcoming limitations faced will also be tackled in this
study from a qualitative aspect.

Video filming

Primary Investigator

20 healthy volunteers above the age of 18 in a laboratory setting with video clips taken
under varying conditions of lighting, distance between the cameras and the participants'
faces and with various positions and limb movements involved.

Group/Cohort Description: 20 patients above the age of 18 years and able to provide
consent, admitted to the ICU with various underlying conditions and comorbidities. Video
clips are taken under varying conditions of lighting, positions and with ongoing care and
procedures.

Non-Invasive Vital Signs Monitoring (NIVS) Project

About this trial

Study ID

Status

Type

Placebo

Accepting

Trial Timing

What is this trial about?

What are the participation requirements?

Locations

Location

Status