DEVICE TO MEASURE BODY VOLUME AND COMPOSITION IN INFANTS

这项研究的目的是开发和评估一种新的 婴儿体体积和成分测量方法。身体成分 （%脂肪和无脂肪质量）信息在评估中非常重要 营养状况和生长。鉴于目前缺乏任何合适的 为此目的的技术，研究人员和临床医生没有访问 这个有价值的信息。拟议的方法是 成功开发并应用于成年人， 导致商业上成功的设备销售到大学， 其他对医疗保健感兴趣的客户。技术的延伸 由于特殊的考虑， 这是针对这一年轻群体的特殊要求。特别是，高 有意义的身体成分所需的精确度和准确度 在非常小的婴儿中进行测定是令人生畏的。 申请人 该组织在这方面经验丰富，并已证明 第一阶段工程原型的出色结果。拟议 第二阶段的研究将涉及大量的技术开发，特别是 应用于婴儿群体，与科学 咨询委员会具体到项目，并在一个步骤彻底评估- 从无生命的幻影到动物， 最后是婴儿。 拟定商业应用： 这项拟议中的研究可能会导致开发一种全新的 一种对研究人员有用的婴儿身体成分测量方法， 参与婴儿营养评估和生长的医生。 作为 随着医疗技术的进步，婴儿的存活率越来越低 出生体重，这就更需要监测身体脂肪和瘦肉 组织.

The goal of the proposed research is to develop and evaluate a novel method of infant body volume and composition measurement. Body composition (% fat and fat-free mass) information is very important in the assessment of nutritional status and growth. Given the current lack of any suitable technology for this purpose, researchers and clinicians do not have access to this valuable information. The proposed methodology has been successfully developed and applied to the adult population, and has resulted in a commercially successful device marketed to universities and other customers interested in health care. The extension of the technology to infants is particularly challenging due special considerations and requirements specific to this young population. In particular, the high degree of precision and accuracy required for meaningful body composition determinations in very small infants is daunting. The applicant organization is highly experienced in this area, and has demonstrated excellent results with the Phase I engineering prototype. The proposed Phase II research will involve substantial technology development, special application to the infant population, interaction with a Scientific Advisory Board specific to the project, and thorough evaluation in a step- wise fashion beginning with inanimate phantoms and progressing to animals, and, lastly, infants. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The proposed research may lead to the development of a completely novel method of infant body composition measurement useful to researchers and physicians involved in infant nutritional assessment and growth. As medical technology advances, infants are increasingly viable at lower birth weights, creating a greater need to monitor body fat and lean tissue.