Modeling, Signal Processing and the Design of Novel Instruments and Algorithms Applicable to the Respiratory System

利用线性和非线性信号处理和建模技术以及仪器，这项研究计划将调查、设计、开发和评估适用于呼吸系统及其相关疾病，特别是阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停(OSA)的新技术。OSA目前影响着超过10%的加拿大人，但也被认为有许多未确诊的病例。阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停综合征缺乏诊断和治疗，给社会造成了巨大的身体和经济负担。这里提出的研究将通过研究分析和解释生物数据，特别是呼吸声音的新方法来解决这一差距，并设计新的医疗技术，这些技术将在OSA的护理点诊断、治疗和监测中具有未来的应用；一些提议的技术还将具有其他一般应用。*建议的目标和项目是：1)通过考虑年龄、吸烟、身高、体重等混杂变量对呼吸声的影响，进一步开发和评估现有的声学技术，并提高其对OSA分类的敏感性和特异性；2)开发睡眠和清醒时上呼吸道的声学模型；3)研究整夜连续的呼吸声和睡眠阶段的关系；4)设计和实现使用唾液的能量采集系统，以实现夜间睡眠时的脉搏血氧仪的口头测量；以及5)通过成型开发微阵列微针电极，以及一种用于刺激舌下神经的新型开关电路，作为未来潜在的非侵入性睡眠呼吸暂停治疗。*这些目标将通过非侵入性的气管呼吸声音分析和微电子板的设计来实现。这项研究的成果是：促进我们对清醒和睡眠中正常呼吸的上呼吸道机制以及由于阻塞将如何改变的理解；开发非侵入性、经济有效和快速的诊断工具以及新的非侵入性治疗策略。这项工作的主要影响将是开发新技术，这些技术今后将改善受OSA影响的大量人口的生活质量。

Using linear and non-linear signal processing and modeling techniques and instrumentation, this research program will investigate, design, develop and evaluate novel technologies applicable to respiratory system and its associated disorders, in particular obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA currently affects more than 10% of Canadians, but it is also believed that there are many undiagnosed cases. Lack of diagnosis and treatment of OSA impose an immense physical and economic burden on society. The research proposed here will address this gap by investigating new ways to analyze and interpret biological data in particular breathing sounds, and design novel medical technologies that will have future applications in point of care diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of OSA; some of the proposed technologies will also have other general applications. ******The proposed objectives and projects are: 1) further develop and evaluate our current acoustic technology by considering the effect of confounding variables, i.e. age, smoking, height, weight, on breathing sounds and improve its sensitivity and specificity for OSA classification, 2) develop acoustic models for upper airway during both sleep and wakefulness, 3) study the relationship between breathing sounds and sleep stages continuously through an entire night, 4) design and implement an energy harvesting system using saliva to enable oral measurement of pulse oximetry overnight during sleep, and 5) develop micro-array microneedle electrodes by molding, along with a novel switching circuit for stimulating the hypoglossal nerve as a potential future non-invasive sleep apnea treatment. ******These objectives will be achieved through non-invasive tracheal respiratory sound analysis and design of microelectronic boards. Outcomes of this research are: to advance our understanding of the upper airway mechanism of normal breathing during both wakefulness and sleep and how it will change due to an obstruction; to develop non-invasive, cost effective and quick diagnostic tools as well as novel non-invasive treatment strategies. The main impacts of this work will be development of novel technologies that in future will improve the quality of life of the large population affected by OSA.**