Development of algorithms for reliable estimation of breathing effort from pulse pleythsmograph signal

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The photoplethysmogram (PPG) waveform obtained using a photo sensor is a pulsatile characterization of the beating of the heart. A rich variety of physiological information such as pulse rate, and oxygen saturation (SpO2) can be extracted from the PPG signal, and recently, researchers have focused on extracting respiratory signals from this signal. Despite interest in and research on the extraction of respiratory signals from PPG signals, it seems that only one respiratory parameter, namely, the respiratory rate, is commonly estimated. This is a limitation, since other parameters such as respiratory effort promise to provide more in-depth information about the physiology of the subject. Moreover, research in this area has not been transformed into tangible systems that can find use in real-word clinical applications like home sleep monitoring. Our industrial collaborator, Braebon Medical Corporation, an Ottawa-based company specializing in the production and sale of sleep monitoring devices, is looking to develop and test innovative algorithms that can extract various respiratory parameters from PPG signals. Our research group at the University of Ottawa has extensive experience in developing algorithms in this area. In the first phase of the project, we developed a novel algorithm for estimating respiratory rate from PPG signals. When tested on a benchmark database, our algorithm performed better than another state-of-the-art algorithm. In the second phase of the project, which is supported by Braebon, we will focus on developing an algorithm to reliably estimate respiratory effort from PPG signals. This technology will provide Braebon a competitive edge over other sleep monitoring products, and is expected to open up significant market opportunities for Braebon in the field of reliable sleep monitoring.