Technology

Active sensing + automatic stabilization in one wearable.

Diaprobe integrates multi-modal sensing with neuromuscular stimulation to measure venous return dynamics and respond to early instability during hemodialysis.

System overview

A single-wrap neoprene calf sleeve houses optical and mechanical sensing and delivers stimulation through integrated electrodes. The goal is rapid placement, consistent indexing, and reliable signal quality in a real dialysis environment.

Anatomically indexed sleeve

Shin alignment cues support fast, repeatable placement without specialized vascular anatomy training.

High-speed on-device processing

A high-speed microcontroller (e.g., ESP32-S3 class) processes signals on the edge to evaluate reserve and trigger stabilization without delay.

Closed-loop workflow

The system is designed around an "active sensing" phase that periodically probes venous return via an imperceptible NMES "ping," and a stabilization phase that delivers therapeutic stimulation when early decompensation signatures appear.

1) Active sensing

Sub-threshold NMES pulse to gastrocnemius (“ping”)
Venous return echo captured
Reserve estimate updated

2) Decision

Fusion filters artifacts
False-alarm budget enforced
Triggers only when needed

3) Stabilization

Therapeutic NMES support
Venous return augmented
MAP trend protected

Multi-modal sensing

Diaprobe is designed to combine optical and mechanical measures so a leg-worn device can retain clinically useful fidelity even in the presence of motion and stimulation artifacts.

Reflective PPG

Captures optical signatures associated with pulsatile flow and the stimulation-evoked venous return echo.

Strain + impedance

Dual-transducer strain gauges and impedance plethysmography electrodes provide complementary mechanical and volumetric signals.

Dominance Wrapper AI

The sensor-fusion logic is designed to cross-reference optical and mechanical channels and suppress stimulation noise and movement artifacts. The result is a more reliable trigger signal, helping reduce alarm fatigue.

Design intent

Artifact rejection tailored to leg-worn sensing
Cross-check rules to prevent spurious triggers
Strict false-alarm budget support
On-device inference for latency control

Safety design

Stimulation intensity, duty cycles, and trigger behavior are designed to align with clinical oversight and conservative alerting. Safety features are defined and validated through formal risk management and clinical protocols.

Guardrails

Limits, timeouts, and clinician-defined modes to help ensure predictable operation.

Therapy only when needed

The default behavior emphasizes sensing first, with therapy escalation based on early signatures of decline.