Reliability and Validity of Devices for a Life Sign Detection System

摘要

Life sign detection system (LSDS) devices were developed by the Center for the Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT, Cambridge, MA, USA), Hidalgo Research Co. (Swavesey, Cambridge, UK), Sarcos Research Co. (Salt Lake City, UT, USA), and VivoMetrics, Inc. (Ventura, CA, USA) for use in the Future Force Warrior (FFW) system. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of these four LSDS devices for measuring heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR) against criterion devices (e.g., 3-lead ECG and metabolic cart, respectively). Eight male volunteers completed four days of testing in which HR and RR were collected from the four LSDS devices and criterion devices at the same time while engaged in low, medium, and high intensity activities on two occasions. The change in both HR and RR between the two trials and two devices was calculated and analyzed using a 2-way repeated measures ANOVA. Bland-Altman plots showed the dispersion of individual reliability and validity error scores. All devices demonstrated adequate reliability based on hypothesis testing but Bland-Altman plots revealed tighter prediction intervals for HR and RR. In conclusion, VivoMetrics was the most reliable and valid LSDS device for measurements of HR and RR. CIMIT was the next most reliable and valid device. The Sarcos and Hidalgo devices should not be evaluated further in their current configuration based on the poor reliability and validity of HR and RR measurements. Even though the VivoMetrics device was the most reliable and valid device, the form factor was not acceptable to the Soldier in the field. Thus, a future LSDS system may need to utilize components of each system to meet all the needs of the Soldier.