Abstract: Wearable apparatus for monitoring various physiological and environmental factors are provided. Real-time, noninvasive health and environmental monitors include a plurality of compact sensors integrated within small, low-profile devices, such as earpiece modules. Physiological and environmental data is collected and wirelessly transmitted into a wireless network, where the data is stored and/or processed.

Abstract: A system includes an earpiece and a telecommunications device in communication with the earpiece. The earpiece includes a power source, a processor configured to process at least one algorithm stored within the earpiece, and an optical sensor. The optical sensor includes at least one optical emitter configured to direct optical energy to a region of an ear of a subject wearing the earpiece and at least one optical detector configured to sense absorbed, scattered, and/or reflected optical energy emanating from the ear region. The telecommunications device is configured to modify the at least one algorithm, to download additional algorithms to the earpiece, and to activate and deactivate the optical sensor.

Abstract: A method of controlling a biometric parameter, such as heart rate and/or breathing rate, of a subject engaged in an activity includes sensing the biometric parameter via a monitoring device worn by the subject, determining frequency characteristics of the biometric parameter, and presenting to the subject musical audio having a tempo correlated to the frequency characteristics of the biometric parameter. The tempo of the musical audio presented to the subject may be changed in order to cause a change in the biometric parameter. A method of modulating heart rate of a subject engaged in an activity includes sensing a breathing rate of the subject via a monitoring device worn by the subject, and then presenting to the subject musical audio having a tempo selected to change the breathing rate by an amount sufficient to cause a change in the heart rate.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus includes a housing that is configured to be attached to a body of a subject. The housing includes a sensor region that is configured to contact a selected area of the body of the subject when the housing is attached to the body of the subject. The sensor region is contoured to matingly engage the selected body area. The apparatus includes at least one physiological sensor that is associated with the sensor region and that detects and/or measures physiological information from the subject and/or at least one environmental sensor associated with the sensor region that is configured to detect and/or measure environmental information. The sensor region contour stabilizes the physiological and/or environmental sensor(s) relative to the selected body area such that subject motion does not impact detection and/or measurement efforts of the sensor(s).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring a subject are described. A monitoring device configured to be attached to a body of a subject includes a sensor that is configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject and at least one motion sensor configured to detect and/or measure subject motion information. The physiological sensor and motion sensor are in communication with a processor that is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the physiological sensor and motion sensor. The processor is configured to process motion sensor signals to identify an activity characteristic of the subject.

Abstract: A wearable device includes a housing with a window and an electronic module supported by the housing. The electronic module includes a photoplethysmography sensor, a motion sensor, and a signal processor that processes signals from the motion sensor and signals from the photoplethysmography sensor. The signal processor is configured to remove frequency bands from the photoplethysmography sensor signals that are outside of a range of interest using a band-pass filter to produce pre-conditioned signals, and to further process the pre-conditioned signals using the motion sensor signals to reduce motion artifacts from footsteps during subject running. The device includes non-air light transmissive material in optical communication with the photoplethysmography sensor and the window that serves as a light guide for the photoplethysmography sensor. The window optically exposes the photoplethysmography sensor to a body of a subject wearing the device via the non-air light transmissive material.

Abstract: Wearable apparatus for monitoring various physiological and environmental factors are provided. Real-time, noninvasive health and environmental monitors include a plurality of compact sensors integrated within small, low-profile devices, such as earpiece modules. Physiological and environmental data is collected and wirelessly transmitted into a wireless network, where the data is stored and/or processed.

Abstract: Wearable apparatus for monitoring various physiological and environmental factors are provided. Real-time, noninvasive health and environmental monitors include a plurality of compact sensors integrated within small, low-profile devices, such as earpiece modules. Physiological and environmental data is collected and wirelessly transmitted into a wireless network, where the data is stored and/or processed.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus includes a housing that is configured to be attached to a body of a subject. The housing includes a sensor region that is configured to contact a selected area of the body of the subject when the housing is attached to the body of the subject. The sensor region is contoured to matingly engage the selected body area. The apparatus includes at least one physiological sensor that is associated with the sensor region and that detects and/or measures physiological information from the subject and/or at least one environmental sensor associated with the sensor region that is configured to detect and/or measure environmental information. The sensor region contour stabilizes the physiological and/or environmental sensor(s) relative to the selected body area such that subject motion does not impact detection and/or measurement efforts of the sensor(s).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring a subject are described. A monitoring device configured to be attached to a body of a subject includes a sensor that is configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject and at least one motion sensor configured to detect and/or measure subject motion information. The physiological sensor and motion sensor are in communication with a processor that is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the physiological sensor and motion sensor. The processor is configured to process motion sensor signals to identify an activity characteristic of the subject.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a subject via a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor configured to detect and/or measure PPG information from the subject includes changing, via a processor, signal analysis frequency of the PPG sensor signals, optical wavelength emission of the PPG sensor, and/or PPG sensor interrogation power at predetermined times. Each predetermined time is associated with measuring at least one different biometric parameter from a plurality of biometric parameters.

Abstract: A wearable device includes a housing with a window and an electronic module supported by the housing. The electronic module includes a photoplethysmography sensor, a motion sensor, and a signal processor that processes signals from the motion sensor and signals from the photoplethysmography sensor. The signal processor is configured to remove frequency bands from the photoplethysmography sensor signals that are outside of a range of interest using a band-pass filter to produce pre-conditioned signals, and to further process the pre-conditioned signals using the motion sensor signals to reduce motion artifacts from footsteps during subject running. The device includes non-air light transmissive material in optical communication with the photoplethysmography sensor and the window that serves as a light guide for the photoplethysmography sensor. The window optically exposes the photoplethysmography sensor to a body of a subject wearing the device via the non-air light transmissive material.

Abstract: A monitoring device configured to be attached to a body of a subject includes a sensor configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject, and a processor coupled to the sensor that is configured to receive and analyze signals produced by the sensor. The processor is configured to change signal analysis frequency and/or sensor interrogation power in response to detecting a change in subject activity, a change in subject stress level, a change in environmental conditions, a change in time, and/or a change in location of the subject.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for facilitating the extraction of cleaner biometric signals from biometric monitors. A motion reference signal is generated independently from a biometric signal and then the motion reference signal is used to remove motion artifacts from the biometric signal.

Abstract: The methods and apparatuses presented herein determine and/or improve the quality of one or more physiological assessment parameters, e.g., response-recovery rate, based on biometric signal(s) and/or motion signal(s) respectively output by one or more biometric and/or motion sensors. The disclosed methods and apparatuses also estimate a user's stride length based on a motion signal and a determined type of user motion, e.g., walking or running. The speed of the user may then be estimated based on the estimated stride length.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for facilitating the extraction of cleaner biometric signals from biometric monitors. A motion reference signal is generated independently from a biometric signal and then the motion reference signal is used to remove motion artifacts from the biometric signal.

Abstract: A wearable audio device includes a housing configured to be positioned at an ear of a subject, a speaker and a chipset within the housing. The chipset includes a plurality of sensor elements, at least one signal processor, at least one digital bus, power regulating circuitry, and at least one wireless transmitter. The sensor elements include at least one optical emitter, at least one optical detector, and at least one noise source. The chipset is positioned within the housing such that the at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector are in optical communication with the ear via a window in the housing. The at least one signal processor includes sensor signal conditioning algorithms configured to process signals from the sensor elements to generate physiological assessment information about the subject. The at least one wireless transmitter is configured to communicate the physiological assessment information to a remote device.

Abstract: Monitoring apparatus and methods are provided for assessing a physiological condition of a subject. At least two types of physiological information are detected from a subject via a portable monitoring device associated with the subject, and an assessment of a physiological condition of the subject is made using the at least two types of physiological information, wherein each type of physiological information is individually insufficient to make the physiological condition assessment. Environmental information from a vicinity of a subject also may be detected, and an assessment of a physiological condition of the subject may be made using the environmental information in combination with the physiological information. Exemplary physiological information may include subject heart rate, subject activity level, subject tympanic membrane temperature, and subject breathing rate. Exemplary environmental information may include humidity level information in the vicinity of the subject.

Abstract: A wearable device includes a housing, at least one optical emitter supported by the housing, wherein the at least one optical emitter is configured to generate modulated light, at least one optical detector supported by the housing, and a tip removably secured to the housing. The tip includes first and second portions, wherein the first portion directs light along a first path from the at least one optical emitter to a body of a subject wearing the device, and wherein the second portion directs light from the body of the subject to the optical detector along a second path that is different from the first path. The device may also include an analog-to-digital converter, a motion sensor, and a processor. The processor executes a first filter that attenuates sunlight noise and a second filter that attenuates motion artifacts.

Abstract: A biometric monitoring device configured to be worn by a subject includes a physiological sensor configured to detect and/or measure physiological information from the subject, and a processor configured to analyze signals from the physiological sensor to detect a signature unique to the subject wearing the biometric monitoring device, and determine if the detected signature is a first signature associated with the biometric monitoring device being worn or a second signature associated with the biometric monitoring device not being worn. The first and second signatures are generated by the processor prompting the subject to indicate at prior times when the biometric monitoring device is being worn and is not being worn.