I-Corps: SleepEez: Point-of-care sensor for prediction and prevention of sleep apnea

该研究小组开发了一种即时医疗技术，为治疗阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）提供了一种新方法。该技术使用无线可穿戴多传感器套件和算法来监测睡眠呼吸暂停患者在睡眠期间的生物节律，在睡眠呼吸暂停开始前几分钟预测睡眠呼吸暂停事件，并在预测睡眠呼吸暂停即将发生时轻轻地刺激负责阻塞的肌肉。这项技术的核心是一套传感器，加上先进的“大数据”预测方法。目前的治疗方法包括持续气道正压通气（CPAP）和各种形式的手术。这项技术提供的方法有可能比CPAP或手术便宜得多，而且侵入性更小。这项技术将提供OSA的家庭监测和治疗，并将使那些有兴趣提供成本节约和家庭监测和治疗的生物医学解决方案提供商受益。

The research team has developed a point-of-care health technology that offers a new approach for the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The technology uses a wireless wearable multi-sensor suite and algorithm to monitor an OSA patient's biorhythms during sleep, predict a sleep apnea event several minutes ahead of its inception and gently stimulate the muscles responsible for the obstruction when a sleep apnea episode is predicted to be imminent. Central to the technology is the suite of sensors coupled with advanced "big data" prediction methods.The current treatments for OSA include Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and various forms of surgery. The approach offered by this technology has the potential to be far less expensive than CPAP or surgery, and is less invasive. This technology would provide at-home monitoring and treatment of OSA and would benefit the biomedical solution providers who are interested in providing cost-savings and at-home monitoring and treatment.