Fbg Sensor Of Breathing Encapsulated Into Polydimethylsiloxane

The technology of Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) belongs to the most widespread fiber-optic sensors. They are used for measuring a large number of physical and chemical quantities. Small size, immunity to electromagnetic interference, high sensitivity and a principle of information encoding about the measurement value into spectral characteristics causes usability of FBG sensors in medicine for monitoring vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration. An important factor is the use of an inert material for the encapsulation of Bragg gratings in this area. A suitable choice is a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer having excellent thermal and elastic properties. Experimental results describe the creation of FBG sensory prototype for monitoring breathing in this paper. The sensor is realized by encapsulation of Bragg grating into PDMS. The FBG sensor is mounted on the elastic contact strap which encircles the chest of the patient. This tension leads to a spectral shift of the reflected light from the FBG. For measurement, we used a broadband light source Light-Emitting Diode (LED) with central wavelength 1550 nm and optical spectrum analyzer.