Pulse measurement based on Moiré diagnostic system

This work presents a non-invasive, non-contact method for the measurement of pulse waveforms. A digital video camera is used to capture the moiré fringes applied onto the wrist skin surface from which we can obtain the whole field information of three-dimensional local pulse vibration. This study proposed an algorithm to evaluate the pulsating activities of the radial artery from the image intensity of moiré fringes at certain wrist points. Pulse rate, which could be derived from the frequency spectrum of the moiré fringel, was shown to be consistent with the data obtained from the pulse oximeter applied to the index finger. The advantages of our new moiré method are: (1) It is a real-time and non-contacting monitor of the pulse that can record the three-dimensional vibration information of the radial artery in one picture; (2) this system might provide a new aspect for the pulse diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine.