Patent ID: 8360985

Claim:
A vital sign measurement device comprising: a sensor fixation device adapted to be placed against an anatomical location of a subject, within which is an artery; an optical sensing system comprising an optical source, an optical refractor, and an optical detector, all of which are held by the sensor fixation device and move with movement of the sensor fixation device, wherein the optical sensing system is at least in part positioned on a cantilevered support; a sensor pad held by the sensor fixation device so that it is placed against the anatomical location when the sensor fixation device is placed against the anatomical location, wherein at least a part of the optical sensing system is positioned between the sensor pad and the cantilevered support such that a movement of the sensor pad corresponding to an arterial pulse results in a pressing portion of the sensor pad pressing against at least one portion of the optical sensing system to cause a movement, bending, or compression of the at least one portion of the optical sensing system relative to other portions of the optical sensing system resulting in a change in an optical signal received by the optical detector; and an output unit that receives, from the optical sensing system, an input indicative of movement corresponding to an arterial pulse and that generates, using the input, a measure of the vital sign.