Noninvasive Breathing Disorder Management via Neural Stimulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for managing breathing and respiratory disorders, such as sleep apnea, are often invasive, cumbersome, and lack proactive detection and management capabilities, leading to ineffective treatment and high dropout rates due to discomfort and lack of preventative measures.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses multiple sensors to collect real-time data and employs AI to identify unique crossover points, triggering external stimulation to prevent breathing disorders through a user-controlled framework, allowing for non-invasive and proactive management of breathing and respiratory events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If CPAP machines are used to manage sleep apnea, then breathing disorders can be treated, but the devices become cumbersome, noisy, and cause discomfort leading to high dropout rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical CPAP system (compressor, mask, air delivery) with an electrical stimulation system that uses neural signals to trigger muscle contractions and open the airway. This substitution eliminates the cumbersome mechanical components while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness through physiological control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the patient's own neural and muscular systems to manage the airway. By stimulating the patient's existing musculature through electrical signals triggered by detected neural activity, the system enables self-regulating airway management without requiring external mechanical support, thereby improving comfort and adherence.
2Device complexity
If single source inputs like oximetry are used for monitoring, then device simplicity is maintained, but sufficient accuracy for managing breathing disorders is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing modalities (oximetry, acoustic sensors, motion sensors, and neural signal detection) into a unified monitoring system. This integration allows the system to cross-validate signals and achieve high detection accuracy while maintaining user convenience through a single wearable device that collects and processes multiple data streams simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring device performs multiple functions: it detects breathing events, monitors oxygen saturation, tracks motion patterns, captures acoustic signals, and records neural activity. This multi-functional approach enables comprehensive breathing disorder management through a single device, balancing simplicity with diagnostic accuracy.
3Reliability
If CPAP machines are recommended based on sleep lab testing, then standard treatment protocols are followed, but early detection and proactive management opportunities are missed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs continuous monitoring and detects breathing disorders at early stages before severe symptoms develop. By identifying subtle changes in breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and neural signals, the system enables proactive intervention and management earlier than traditional sleep lab protocols, reducing the time to diagnosis and treatment initiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous real-time feedback on breathing parameters and triggers appropriate responses based on detected events. This ongoing monitoring and immediate feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of treatment and timely intervention, unlike static pre-test recommendation approaches.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a system for aiding proactive detection and management of breathing and respiratory related disorders and in particular to a system for aiding management of disorders such as sleep apnea (apnea) or snoring or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or infant apnea. In particular the invention comprises a system that proactively manages defined concurrent input sensors in real-time to identify an actionable crossover-point to trigger an output action for aiding and/or pre-treating breathing and respiratory related disorders