SBIR Phase I: Engineered Sensors for the Pulmonary Forced Oscillation Technique

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将推动一种新的肺部测试仪器的开发。这一创新设备利用应变计测量肺气流，这是监测哮喘和慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)患者健康的关键指标。研究的挑战是开发并证明为该设备定制应变计的可行性。这将包括制造和测试薄膜传感器，并将其效率与目前使用的商业传感器进行比较。定制的传感器将在大学的洁净室中开发，并通过比较信噪比来与商业传感器进行测试。研究工作的目标将是提高信噪比，最大限度地减少商业传感器中出现的非线性响应。在这项提议中，新传感器的具体应用将是一种使用强迫振荡技术(FOT)测量肺气流阻力的设备。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是销售一种仪器，该仪器比目前使用的测量肺部疾病患者肺气流的仪器具有显著优势。据估计，美国有3640万人患有哮喘或慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)。拟议的辅助技术的成功开发将提供一种低成本、易于清洁、易于移动的适合家庭使用的测试设备。这种设备的具体应用，强迫振荡技术(FOT)，比标准的肺活量测定法具有显著的优势，因为它不依赖于患者故意合作来执行所需的呼吸动作。因此，它对昏迷的病人、婴儿和儿童、精神和身体受损的人，甚至动物都很有用。FOT设备是新的发展；它们主要用于研究环境。这里提出的设备将在市场上极具竞争力，主要是因为它的低成本，但也因为它的简单设计和易于使用。为他的设备开发的软件将使数据从患者S家到医生S办公室的无线传输变得毫不费力。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will advance the development of a new pulmonary testing instrument. The innovative device utilizes a strain gauge to measure pulmonary airflow, an indicator critical in monitoring the health of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The research challenge is to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of a customized strain gauge for this device. This will involve fabricating and testing thin film sensors and comparing their efficacy to the commercial sensor now used. The customized sensors will be developed in a university-based clean room and tested against the commercial sensors by comparing signal to noise measurements. Research efforts will aim at improving signal to noise and minimizing non-linear responses seen in the commercial sensor. For this proposal, the specific application of the new sensor will be in a device that will measure pulmonary airflow resistance using the Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT). The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be to market an instrument that has significant advantages over those currently in use to measure lung airflow of pulmonary disease patients. An estimated 36.4 million Americans suffer from asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Successful development of the proposed assistive technology will offer a low-cost, easily cleaned, readily mobile testing device that is adaptable to home use. The specific application proposed for this device, forced oscillation technique (FOT), has a significant advantage over standard spirometry, as it does not depend upon deliberate cooperation of the patient to perform required respiratory maneuvers. It is therefore useful for comatose patients, infants and children, mentally and physically impaired individuals, and even animals. FOT devices are new developments; they are being used primarily in research settings. The device proposed here will be extremely competitive in the marketplace, primarily due to its low cost, but also to its simple design and ease of use. Software developed for his device will make the wireless transfer of data from the patient?s home to the physician?s office effortless.