Achieved through Contour Engineering to Improve Tolerance (FACE-IT)

通过轮廓工程提高耐受性 (FACE-IT)

• 批准号: 2889020
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Swansea University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2889020
• 关键词: Achieved; through; Contour; Engineering; Improve

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common condition where throat muscles relax during sleep, narrowing the airway, obstructing normal breathing. Airway-narrowing can occur>100x/night causing significant health problems if untreated, including cardiovascular events and strokes. The Sleep Apnoea Trust estimate>10M people have OSA in the UK with 30% not complying with therapy. The only effective treatment uses tight-fitting face masks which provide continuous positive air pressure to splint the airways open. Unfortunately, masks are uncomfortable and people stop wearing them. If mask compliance could be increased by improving the fit, it could save lives and associated health/socioeconomic costs. Currently CPAP mask fit is assessed by experienced clinicians using off-the-shelf masks. The proposed PhD addresses a gap to improve mask design and fit assessment through the development of a high-fidelity head-form. The anatomical model will include multi-layer soft tissues, a morphable soft-robotic face to facilitate shape and rigidity adaptation in specified areas simulating fatty areas often observed with users not fitting generic mask sizes (e.g. obese or differing ethnicities). Mask designs will be tested and pressure points measured leading to quantifiable and comparative comfort testing, removing the need to test on real patients and iterate mask designs rapidly at the concept stage

阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）是一种常见的疾病，其中喉部肌肉在睡眠期间放松，使气道变窄，阻碍正常呼吸。气道狭窄可能发生> 100次/夜，如果不治疗，会导致严重的健康问题，包括心血管事件和中风。据睡眠呼吸暂停信托基金会估计，在英国有超过1000万人患有OSA，其中30%的人不遵守治疗。唯一有效的治疗方法是使用紧密贴合的面罩，提供持续的正气压，以夹板打开气道。不幸的是，口罩不舒服，人们不再戴口罩。如果可以通过改善贴合性来提高面罩依从性，则可以挽救生命和相关的健康/社会经济成本。目前，CPAP面罩适合性由经验丰富的临床医生使用现成的面罩进行评估。拟议的博士学位解决了一个差距，以改善面具设计和适合通过开发一个高保真头模评估。解剖模型将包括多层软组织，可变形的软机器人面部，以促进特定区域的形状和刚度适应，模拟用户不适合通用面罩尺寸（例如肥胖或不同种族）时经常观察到的脂肪区域。将对面罩设计进行测试，并测量压力点，从而进行可量化和可比较的舒适度测试，消除了在概念阶段对真实的患者和面罩设计进行快速测试的需要