Advanced Medical Electronics (AME) proposes a Phase I Grant to develop a sensor system for sleep disorder monitoring that utilizes multiple, self- contained wirefree sensor modules - micro-recorders. The micro-recorders are small in size, approximately one cubic inch, battery powered, time- synchronized solid-state data recorders that are co-located on a patient with various sleep study sensors. By utilizing precision clocking crystals, the data recorded from each micro-recorder sensor can be combined to form a single multi-channel data set. Standard sleep scoring software tools can then import this data file for processing and scoring. Patients will be instrumented with a micro-recorder for measuring pulse oximetry with the recording module worn on the wrist, a chest effort sensor with the module in the center of the chest strap, airflow with a module in a headband, and body position will be recorded using an accelerometer based micro- recorder. The resulting sensor system will eliminate wiring between the sensors, thereby creating a more comfortable environment for the patient and a more reliable system for the sleep technician. During Phase I feasibility testing will be done on a breadboarded system, and in Phase II the system will miniaturized, fully packaged, and clinically tested.
Sleep disorder monitoring with no intrapatient cabling will be well received in the marketplace. The proposed sensor system will improve patient comfort and system reliability. The proposed time-synchronized micro-recorder sensor approach is novel and innovative in the medical device marketplace.
