{
  "abstract": "Background/Objectives: Monitoring and evaluating respiratory rate (RR) plays a critical role during emergency transport. Conventional RR measurement methods have primarily relied on electrocardiogram-based approaches, which are susceptible to large errors caused by patient body movement and impose a burden on patients due to their contact-based nature. This study aimed to develop a non-contact RR measurement method using RGB and thermal cameras that can be applied inside a moving ambulance. Methods: One of the key challenges in non-contact RR measurement inside an ambulance is accommodating changes in patient posture. We addressed this by patient posture-adaptive automatic image registration between RGB and thermal cameras and developing a nostril detection method robust to posture changes. Results: The image registration error of the proposed method was evaluated at various distances from the camera, and the error was confirmed to remain within 1 pixel. RR measurement experiments simulating various respiratory conditions were then conducted inside a moving ambulance. The average of mean absolute error (MAE) was 0.95, 0.59, and 2.80 breaths per minute (breaths/min) for bradypnea, normal, and tachypnea, respectively, in the supine position, and 1.08, 1.90, and 4.38 breaths/min, respectively, in the semi-sitting position. Evaluation of the proposed nostril detection method further confirmed improved RR estimation accuracy compared with the conventional method. Conclusions: This study achieved patient posture-adaptive automatic image registration and robust nostril detection and successfully conducted experiments under realistic and challenging conditions, representing a substantial step toward the real-world implementation of a non-contact RR measurement system in ambulances.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Medical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoicho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi 263-8522, Chiba, Japan.",
    "Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi 260-8670, Chiba, Japan.",
    "Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chiba University Hospital, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi 260-8677, Chiba, Japan.",
    "Center for Frontier Medical Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoicho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi 263-8522, Chiba, Japan."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Daiga Nemoto"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Nozomi Takahashi",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9417-2396"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Fumitaka Mukouyama"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Taka-Aki Nakada"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Yukihiro Nomura",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6471-9936"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Toshiya Nakaguchi",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8348-6178"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5qaajr97m3ngb.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/diagnostics16193244",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13664319",
  "id": "5qaajr97m3ngb",
  "issns": [
    "2075-4418"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882399",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2204|Non-Invasive Vital Sign Monitoring"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220931394",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13664319?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13664319",
  "pmid": "42882399",
  "published": "2026-10-08",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5qaajr97m3ngb.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:00Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42882399",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42882399"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "journal-openalex:F27",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Patient Posture-Adaptive Non-Contact Respiratory Rate Measurement Inside a Moving Ambulance Using RGB and Thermal Cameras.",
  "title_text": "Patient Posture-Adaptive Non-Contact Respiratory Rate Measurement Inside a Moving Ambulance Using RGB and Thermal Cameras.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:00Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5qaajr97m3ngb",
  "venue": "Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)",
  "versions": []
}