Smart Bed Sensors Detect Hypoxia Burden Without Invasive Monitoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies for monitoring sleep and detecting respiratory events, such as apnea-hypoxia events, require invasive equipment like all-night pulse oximetry and Polysomnography, which can be cumbersome and require user intervention.
Innovation Solution
A smart bed system equipped with pressure sensors and force sensors that transmit data to a computing system, which processes this data to identify sleep sessions, detect respiratory events, calculate event-metrics, and determine hypoxia burden scores without the need for additional invasive hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive monitoring equipment like all-night pulse oximetry and Polysomnography is used to detect respiratory events, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to cumbersome hardware and user intervention requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the monitoring function from complex invasive equipment and relocates it to the bed structure itself. Pressure sensors are embedded in the mattress, and force sensors are integrated into the bed frame, allowing the bed to perform monitoring functions that previously required separate wearable devices and external monitoring equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computing system that processes data from the sensors embedded in the bed. This intermediary system automatically analyzes pressure and force sensor data to detect respiratory events, eliminating the need for direct user interaction with complex monitoring equipment while maintaining detection accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If invasive monitoring equipment is used to monitor sleep patterns, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation worsens because users must remember to start and engage the system
Solution Approach 1:
The bed monitoring system operates autonomously without requiring user initiation or engagement. The pressure sensors and force sensors continuously collect data as the user sleeps, and the computing system automatically processes this data to detect respiratory events and calculate hypoxia burden scores, eliminating the burden of manual system activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary monitoring actions continuously throughout the night without requiring user reminder or intervention. The sensors are pre-positioned in the bed structure and automatically begin capturing physiological data the moment the user lies down, ensuring uninterrupted monitoring of sleep patterns and respiratory events.
3Productivity
If multiple sensors are integrated into the bed to provide continuous monitoring, then productivity and automation are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensing functions into the bed structure itself. Pressure sensors are embedded in the mattress to detect body contact and respiratory movements, while force sensors are integrated into the bed frame to measure applied force. This consolidation allows continuous monitoring of multiple physiological parameters through a single integrated system rather than requiring separate wearable devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed structure serves multiple functions: it provides the traditional sleeping surface while simultaneously acting as a monitoring platform. The integrated sensors enable the bed to detect sleep patterns, respiratory events, and hypoxia burden, making the bed a universal device that combines comfort with comprehensive health monitoring capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides non-invasive, continuous monitoring of sleep patterns and respiratory events, enabling the calculation of hypoxia burden scores that can help diagnose and manage sleep disorders like sleep apnea, without the need for users to remember to start or engage the system.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure sensor senses air pressure in a fluid bladder of the bed
Implementation Method 2
the force sensor senses force transmitted through a rigid frame of the bed
Data Source
AI summary
A bed has a mattress. Pressure sensor are configured to: sense pressure applied to the bed by a user on the bed; and transmit, to a computing system, a pressure stream from the sensing of the pressure applied to the bed. Force sensor are configured to: sense force applied to the bed by the user; and transmit, to the computing system, a force stream from the sensing of the force applied to the be. A computing system is configured to: receive the pressure stream; receive the force stream; identify one or more sleep sessions; for each of the sleep sessions, determine occurrences of one or more respiratory-events; for each of the respiratory-events, determine a plurality of event-metrics using the pressure stream and the force stream; and for each of the sleep sessions, determine a single-session hypoxia-burden score.