Sensor systems and methods for characterizing health conditions

A sensing system for detecting a vibroacoustic signal from a subject, the sensing system comprising:

• a sensing device comprising:
• a vibroacoustic sensor module for detecting vibroacoustic signals having a bandwidth ranging from 0.01 Hz to 160 kHz, the vibroacoustic sensor module comprising:
• a voice coil component comprising a coil holder supporting wire windings;
• a magnet component comprising a magnet supported by a frame, the magnet having a magnet gap configured to receive at least a portion of the voice coil component in a spaced and moveable manner;
• a connector connecting the voice coil component to the magnet component, the connector being compliant and permitting relative movement of the voice coil component and the magnet component;
• a diaphragm configured to induce a movement of the voice coil component in the magnet gap responsive to incident acoustic waves, wherein the diaphragm is attached to the voice coil component, wherein the diaphragm is dome-shaped, wherein at least a portion of the voice coil component is positioned outside of the magnet gap, wherein pressure applied to the diaphragm causes the at least the portion of the voice coil to enter the magnet gap, and wherein the wire windings are spaced from the diaphragm;
• and
• an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) mounted to the diaphragm;
• a housing for retaining the vibroacoustic sensor module, wherein the sensing device is a hand-held device, the housing having a handle end and a sensor end, the sensor end having a sensor end surface with an opening defined therethrough, the vibroacoustic sensor module positioned such that at least a portion of the diaphragm of the vibroacoustic sensor module extends across the opening;
• and
• an outer cover which is attached to the housing at the sensor end and extends over the opening to cover the diaphragm;
• and
• a computing device comprising at least one processor and memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
• receive, from the sensing device, vibroacoustic signal data corresponding to the subject and collected by the vibroacoustic sensor and the IMU;
• and
• output, based on the vibroacoustic signal data and using a trained machine learning model, an indication of the presence or absence of a COVID-19 infection in the subject.