Determining the performance of a temperature sensor embedded into a mouthguard

Objective: Determine the steady-state errors of oral-based temperature sensors embedded in mouthguards using a robust assessment process. Materials and methods: Four temperature-sensor boards were encapsulated in ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) mouthguards. Error and time to reach steady-state temperature were assessed in a thermostatic water bath at 34, 38.5, and 43 °C. A case study with one volunteer wearing the instrumented mouthguard was also conducted. Results: Water bath tests showed a mean absolute error of 0.2 °C after a maximum of 690 s across all conditions. The in vivo case study yielded an absolute error of 0.2 °C after 1110 s. Conclusion: Instrumented mouthguards with temperature sensing can achieve consistent steady-state error close to clinical requirements across a range of temperatures, but the time to reach steady-state must be considered for correct interpretation.

Leonardo de Almeida e Bueno, William Milnthorpe, Jeroen H. M. Bergmann