Novel Acoustic Technologies for Obstructive Sleep Disorders Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring

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The proposed research falls at the interface between engineering and medicine. Its focus is to develop new engineering approaches to signal processing and instrumentation in order to address the challenging medical problem of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Specifically, we will develop non-invasive and effective technologies that can readily be applied in a clinical setting in order to better understand the mechanism and diagnosis of the disorder. OSA is a common and serious respiratory disorder with major comorbidities such as memory loss, increased risk of accidents, and cardiovascular disease. It is characterized by recurrent episodes of partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway and is usually associated with drop of blood oxygen saturation and frequency arousals (waking up). OSA is highly prevalent in the Canadian adult population and also in children and is also a major but hidden cause of cardiovascular diseases. Importantly, OSA is treatable but is massively underdiagnosed. To find and treat those who are impacted by OSA, a simple technology for risk assessment is urgently needed. The long term objective of this proposal is to fill that gap. We propose a novel, non-invasive and cost-effective for use in clinical settings. Based upon acoustic technology, we will monitor significant airway narrowing, diagnose OSA and its severity, and identify the site of obstruction and the response to treatment. These goals will be achieved through non-invasive tracheal respiratory sound analysis during the experimental procedures in collaboration with the medical colleagues. Outcomes of this research are: to advance our understanding of the mechanism of upper airway obstruction and its associated disorders; to develop non-invasive, cost effective and quick diagnostic tools; and therefore improve the quality of life of a large population affected by OSA.