SBIR Phase II: Developing a Continuous, Wireless, Intra-Oral Salivary pH Sensor

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是管理世界上最普遍的慢性疾病蛀牙或龋齿疾病的风险。蛀牙会导致严重的疼痛、毁灭性的财务问题、失去工作、失去信心、外表和语言上的尴尬，以及广泛的全身健康问题。它对少数民族和低收入人群的影响尤为严重。控制高危患者体内的酸水平是预防龋齿的有效策略。用于预防龋齿的口腔酸度监测仪将使龋齿疾病高风险的患者能够在引起永久性损害之前收到警报，以中和口腔内酸度，并更有效地与牙医合作，遵循和评估规定的预防龋齿方案的有效性。这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目的重点是世界上第一个连续口内酸度监测仪的商业化。该项目推进传感器提供唾液pH值及其对环境条件的响应的长期数据读数。口腔内传感器作为一种平台技术，除了龋齿外，在更广泛的市场中有着更多的应用；未来的传感器包括用于心脏病、高血压和肾衰竭的钠和钾监测器，以及用于糖尿病的血糖监测器。长期计划包括生物传感，如过敏原、病毒载量和药物依从性监测。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to manage the risk of tooth decay, or caries disease, the world’s most prevalent chronic condition. Tooth decay results in severe pain, devastating financial issues, lost work, loss of confidence, embarrassment from appearance and speech, and broad systemic health problems. It disproportionately affects minorities and lower-income individuals. Controlling acid levels of high-risk patients is an effective decay prevention strategy. An oral acidity monitor for caries prevention will allow patients at high risk of caries disease to receive alerts to neutralize intraoral acidity before it causes permanent damage, and work more effectively with their dentists to follow and evaluate the effectiveness of prescribed caries prevention protocols. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on the commercialization of the world’s first continuous intraoral acidity monitor. This project advances sensors providing long-term data readings of salivary pH and its response to environmental conditions. As a platform technology, intraoral sensors have more applications in a broad range of markets in addition to dental caries; future sensors include sodium and potassium monitors for heart disease, hypertension, and renal failure, and glucose monitors for diabetes. Long-term plans include biologic sensing such as allergen, viral load, and drug compliance monitors.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.