Wearable Light-Guiding Devices For Physiological Monitoring

A monitoring device configured to be attached to the body of a subject, comprising:

• an outer layer and an inner layer secured together, the inner layer comprising light transmissive material, and having inner and outer surfaces;
• a base secured to at least one of the outer and inner layers and comprising at least one optical emitter and at least one optical detector;
• a layer of cladding material near the outer surface of the inner layer;
• and
• at least one window formed in the layer of cladding material that serves as a light-guiding interface to the body of the subject, wherein the light transmissive material is in optical communication with the at least one optical emitter and the at least one optical detector, wherein the light transmissive material is configured to deliver light from the at least one optical emitter to the body of the subject along a first direction and to collect light from the body of the subject and deliver the collected light in a second direction to the at least one optical detector, wherein the first and second directions are substantially parallel.