Despite the recent reduction in SIDS after advocacy of the supine sleeping position, SIDS remains a major public health concern causing up to 5000 deaths per year, an incidence of 1 to 1.5 cases per 1000 live births. Home monitoring devices, however, are imperfect. To detect both respiration and heart rate, body straps with physical and electrical sensors are used. The strategy is to detect such episodes of bradycardia and apnea at their inception, and then to physically the arouse the child. The problems with this approach include expense, unreliability of skin contact and limitation of infant activity. The proposed fiber optic sensor pad provides an ideal way of measuring heart and respiration rates Using a totally dielectric pad and tether fitting under the bed sheet. Analysis algorithms for detecting abnormal bradycardia and apnea will be implemented. The specific use intended is a mattress pad for a premature infant, during hospitalization and after discharge. Since the fiber optic pad is completely safe and relatively inexpensive its usefulness extends to emergency medical services, inpatient, and outpatient monitoring of adults with known or suspected heart disease.
The major projected market is hospital nurseries and newborn intensive care units as well as home use for newborn infants at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). These infants are currently monitored in the home setting using EKG electrodes or body straps, which are uncomfortable, irritating, encumbering, and often inadequate for recording heartbeat and breathing signatures while sleeping.
