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和仪器，该研究项目将调查、设计、开发和评估适用于呼吸系统及其相关疾病的新技术，特别是阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）。目前有超过10%的加拿大人患有阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停，但据信还有许多未确诊的病例。缺乏对阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停的诊断和治疗给社会带来了巨大的身体和经济负担。这里提出的研究将通过研究新的方法来分析和解释特定呼吸声音的生物数据，并设计新的医疗技术来解决这一差距，这些技术将在未来的护理点诊断、治疗和监测OSA中得到应用；其中一些提议的技术还将具有其他一般应用。******建议的目标和项目如下：1)考虑年龄、吸烟、身高、体重等混杂变量对呼吸音的影响，进一步发展和评估我们现有的声学技术，提高其对OSA分类的敏感性和特异性；2)建立睡眠和清醒时上呼吸道的声学模型；3)连续一整晚研究呼吸音与睡眠阶段的关系；4)设计并实现一种利用唾液的能量收集系统，使夜间睡眠期间的口腔脉搏血氧测量成为可能；5)通过成型技术开发微阵列微针电极，以及一种新的开关电路，用于刺激舌下神经，作为未来潜在的非侵入性睡眠呼吸暂停治疗。******这些目标将通过无创气管呼吸声分析和微电子板的设计来实现。本研究的结果是：提高我们对清醒和睡眠时正常呼吸的上呼吸道机制的理解，以及它如何因阻塞而改变；开发无创、低成本、快速的诊断工具和新型的无创治疗策略。这项工作的主要影响将是新技术的发展，这些技术将在未来改善受OSA影响的大量人群的生活质量

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.**