Effective Bowel Sound Source Localization Based on Sensor Configuration: A Preliminary Index Approach

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), characterized by chronic abdominal symptoms that markedly diminish quality of life, necessitate the development of non-invasive and objective diagnostic methods. Previous research shows that bowel sound (BS) source localization aids in IBS screening. Thus, higherprecision localization is needed for detailed intestinal motility assessment, although its performance is affected by ambient noise, sensor count, and configuration. In this study, we evaluated asymmetrical versus traditional symmetrical electronic stethoscope (ES) arrangements for BS measurement and proposed a new index, the Preliminary Asymmetry Degree (PAD), to assess ES configuration asymmetry. By conducting source localization simulations using a simplified rectangular model of the abdomen, we found that configurations with higher PAD values exhibited improved source localization accuracy. We also confirmed that sensor configurations based on PAD function effectively even in high-noise environments. These findings show promise as a technological foundation for non-invasive and objective measurement and analysis of internal abdominal sound sources. In the future, by applying this approach to more advanced models that mimic biological structures, it may be possible to conduct more detailed analyses of gastrointestinal function, including the objective evaluation of FGIDs.