SLEEP STUDY MONITORING OVER THE INTERNET

先进医疗电子公司(AME)计划展示将加密的多导睡眠仪信号和红外图像从远程睡眠研究现场发送到中央睡眠实验室的可行性。通过使用互联网，睡眠实验室可以利用当地的酒店和地区医院将其服务扩展到周边城市和农村地区。好处是通过扩大患者基础和更容易接触患者，降低了睡眠实验室的资本和经常性成本。互联网接入速度的提高与数据加密技术的最新进展相结合，可以为隔壁房间的患者提供几乎相同的多导睡眠监测性能。第一阶段将使用面包板系统演示从远程位置到中心设施的16个多导睡眠图通道(包括：EEG、EOG、EMG、ECG、SpO2、胸部用力、气流、鼾声和运动)和红外图像(每15秒更新一次)的加密传输、记录和显示。数据的准确记录和连续显示将证明这一概念的可行性。第二阶段将扩展第一阶段的设计，以开发最终产品的硬件和软件。在第二阶段将包括广泛的可靠性/患者测试。AME已安排与一家地区性睡眠中心合作开展这项工作。拟议的商业应用：这种基于互联网的睡眠监测系统的潜在市场非常大，因为它将允许现有的睡眠实验室以非常少的额外成本扩大他们的客户基础，而且事实证明它将对患者更方便。

Advanced Medical Electronics (AME) proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of sending encrypted polysomnograph signals and infrared images from a remote sleep study site to a central sleep lab. By using the Internet, a sleep lab can expand its services into surrounding cities and rural areas using local hotels and regional hospitals. Benefits are lower capital and recurring costs for the sleep lab through an increased patient base and easier patient access. Increasing Internet access speeds combined with recent advances in data encryption can provide polysomnograph performance nearly identical to that for a patient in the next room. Phase I will demonstrate with a breadboard system the encrypted transfer, recording, and display of 16 polysomnograph channels (including: EEG, EOG, EMG, ECG, SPO2, chest effort, airflow, snore, and motion) and an infrared image (updated every 15 seconds) from a remote location to a central facility. Showing accurate recording and continuous display of data will prove feasibility of the concept. Phase II will extend the phase I design to develop the hardware and software of a final product. In phase II will include extensive reliability/patient testing. AME has arranged to collaborate with a regional sleep center in this effort. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The potential market for this Internet-based sleep monitoring system is very large because it will allow existing sleep labs to expand their customer base for very little additional cost and because it will prove to be more convenient for the patient.