Polo Tecnologico (Biomedical Technology Department) Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus Via Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milano (MI), Italy
pmeriggi@dongnocchi.it
Experience. After several years of experience as ICT consultant and developer, from 2003 to 2005 Paolo was project manager in the biomedical division of a small engineering company in Milano, Italy. From 2005 returned to the research field, joining as senior research engineer the Wearable Sensors and Telemedicine Area at Polo Tecnologico, the Biomedical Technology Department of Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus.
R&D Activities and Research Interests. Design, development and integration of biomedical wearable devices, software and firmware development, and design and deployment of distributed telehealth architectures over wired and wireless LAN/WAN networks. Acquisition, processing, transmission, visualization and feedback of biomedical signals.
Publications and Other Info. Paolo is co-author of several research publications, and he has been involved in some on-the-field data acquisition campaigns; in 2008 he joined as researcher and technical manager the Highcare Expedition.
Education. February 2003: Ph.D. in Information Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Brescia (Italy). Principal investigation: design and development of a middleware for the communication among mobile robots. September 2000: Master of Technology Transfer in Industrial Automation, organized by Politecnico of Milano with the support of Lombardy Region and CEFRIEL Institute (Milano, Italy). July 1999: M.Sc. Degree in Biomedical Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Politecnico of Milano (Italy). Thesis' title: An Approach to the realization of a mobile robot, developed in the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Lab. The mobile robot involved in the thesis’ development joined the Italian Robot Team ART in RoboCup World Championship 1999
Abstract: high-altitude adaptation leads to progressive increase in arterial Pa(O2). In addition to increased ventilation, better arterial oxygenation may reflect improvements in lung gas exchange. Previous investigations reveal alterations at the alveolar-capillary barrier indicative of decreased resistance to gas exchange with prolonged hypoxia adaptation, but how quickly this occurs is unknown. Carbon monoxide lung diffusing capacity and its major determinants, hemoglobin, alveolar volume, pulmonary capillary blood volume, and alveolar-capillary membrane diffusion, have never been examined with early high-altitude adaptation.
Abstract: The Push-Pull Effect (PPE) is a physiological phenomenon defined as a reduction of +Gz tolerance induced by a previous exposure to a -Gz acceleration, that may lead to loss of consciousness. Aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the cardiac rhythm changes associated with PPE during real flights. Data were collected in 3 pilots during flights on the Aermacchi MB- 339-CD aircraft. In each flight, lasting about 60 minutes, ECG, respiration and 3D accelerations were recorded by a new smart garment (the MagIC System). The flight protocol included a maneuver eliciting a reference +5Gz acceleration for 15 seconds (Ref+5G), followed, after a while, by a push-pull maneuver with a profile characterized by a 5-s acceleration at -1Gz (PP-1G) and, with a 1G/s onset, by 15 seconds at +5Gz (PP+5G), so to induce the push-pull gravitational stress. From each ECG recording, a beat-by-beat RR Interval (RRI) series was derived. RRI mean, standard deviation (SDNN) and the RRI Root Mean Square of Successive Difference (RMSSD) were estimated in each pilot during the Ref+5G and the PP+5G maneuvers. As compared with Ref+5G, all pilots displayed significant reductions in RRI mean, SDNN and RMSSD during PP+5G. These findings are compatible with a PP-induced enhancement in the sympathetic drive to the heart -as shown by the reduction in RRI mean and SDNN- and a concomitant deactivation of the parasympathetic control as shown by the reduction in RMSSD.
Abstract: This paper illustrates two extensive applications of a smart garment we previously developed for the monitoring of ECG, respiration, and movement. In the first application, the device, named Maglietta Interattiva Computerizzata (MagIC), was used for the home monitoring of cardiac patients. The used platform included MagIC for signals collection, a touchscreen computer with a dedicated software for data handling, and a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) dongle for data transmission, via email, to three cardiologists. Three patients daily-performed 3-min telemonitoring sessions for 30 days by using the platform. The whole system behaved correctly in 85 out of 90 sessions. In five instances, a second session was required due to UMTS traffic congestion. Only in three sessions, cardiologists asked the patient to repeat the acquisition because of poor signal quality. In the second application, MagIC was used to evaluate the effects of high-altitude hypoxia on sleep and 24 h daily life in 30 healthy subjects at 3500 and 5400 m above sea level on Mount Everest slopes. The use of MagIC garment was reported to be simple and requiring short instrumentation time even in the demanding expedition environment. The signal quality was adequate in 111 out of 115 recordings and 90% of the subjects found the vest comfortable.
Abstract: To investigate the effects of hypoxia during sleep on linear and self-similar components of heart rate variability (HRV) in eight healthy subjects at high altitude on Mount Everest.
Abstract: On the basis of indirect evidences it has been hypothesized that during space missions the almost complete absence of gravity might impair the baroreflex control of circulation. In the first part of this paper we report results obtained from a series of experiments carried out to directly verify this hypothesis during the 16-day STS 107 Shuttle flight. Spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity was assessed in four astronauts before flight (baseline) and at days 0-1, 6-7 and 12-13 during flight, both at rest and while performing moderate exercise. Our results indicate that at rest the baroreflex sensitivity significantly increased in the early flight phase, as compared to pre-flight values and tended to return to baseline in the mid-late phase of flight. During exercise, baroreflex sensitivity was lower than at rest, without any difference among pre-flight and in-flight values. These findings seem to exclude the hypothesis of an impairment of the baroreflex control of heart rate during exposure to microgravity, at least over a time window of 16 days. In the second part of the paper we propose a novel textile-based methodology for heart rate and other vital signs monitoring during gravity stress. The positive results obtained from its use during parachute jumps support the use of smart garments for the unobtrusive assessment of physiological parameters in extreme environments.
Abstract: We recently developed a textile-based system for the unobtrusive assessment of vital signs. The system, named MagIC, was originally designed to collect data in elderly people and cardiac patients while living in a confined environment. Extending the area of application of MagIC from clinics to daily life meant to pay particular attention to the garment design and to the amount of intelligence embedded into the system. In this paper we addressed both these issues by illustrating 1) a new methodology we are developing to help the design of smart garments for daily life applications and 2) an example of embedded intelligence developed for an application of MagIC in ergonomics.
Abstract: A new textile-based wearable system, named MagIC (Maglietta Interattiva Computerizzata) has been recently developed for getting unobtrusive recordings of cardiorespiratory and motion signals during spontaneous behavior. The system is composed of a vest, including textile sensors for ECG and breathing frequency detection, and a portable electronic board for motion assessment, signal preprocessing and wireless data transmission to a remote computer. In this study the MagIC System has been used to monitor vital signs 1) in cardiac inpatients in bed and during physical exercise and 2) in healthy subjects during exercise and under gravitational stress. All recordings showed a correct identification of arrhythmic events and a correct estimation of RR Interval. The positive results obtained in this study support the routine use of the system in a clinical setting, experimental environments, daily life conditions and sport.
