Non-contact, Wavelet-based Measurement of Vital Signs using Thermal Imaging

In this paper we evaluate the potential of using non intrusive remote passive thermal imaging for measurements of human vital signs. Breathing causes noticeable changes in temperature at the nasal area, which appear as periodic changes in the face thermogram. The major arteries of the body produce time-varying heat patterns which yield information about the cardiac cycle. We focus on thermal imaging using long-wave IR of the face and neck areas. A new method based on wavelet analysis is developed to extract the pulse and respiration. Experimental results on four human subjects are provided, and validated against standard approaches for measuring heart rate and respiration. The proposed method has potential applications in non-contact vital signs monitoring and intent identification at a distance.