Infant Sleep Monitoring With Adaptive Audio for Breathing Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a system to detect if infant breathing has stopped in the home setting to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and address infant communication limitations, especially in the absence of medical monitoring equipment.
Innovation Solution
A system with sensors and processors that analyze infant data to determine sleep states and adjust sound volume accordingly, including decreasing and increasing sound volume based on sleep cycles and wakefulness to monitor and potentially intervene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If medical monitoring equipment is used in the home setting, then infant breathing cessation can be detected reliably, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the monitoring function into separate components: a simple wearable sensor unit for physiological data collection and a separate processing system for analysis. This allows the wearable device to remain simple while the complex analysis is performed remotely by healthcare professionals or through automated algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication channel (telecommunications system) between the simple wearable sensor and the analysis system. This mediator allows raw data to be transmitted without requiring complex processing at the device level, maintaining simplicity while enabling reliable detection through remote analysis.
2Reliability
If continuous monitoring is implemented, then early detection of breathing cessation is possible, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic sampling of physiological parameters rather than continuous high-frequency monitoring. The wearable sensor collects data at predetermined intervals, and the system analyzes trends over time to detect breathing cessation patterns. This periodic approach maintains detection reliability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses partial monitoring by focusing on specific critical parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation) rather than continuously monitoring all possible physiological parameters. This selective monitoring approach reduces the energy required while maintaining sufficient detection capability for breathing cessation.
3Speed
If simple stimulation is applied for resuscitation, then infant response is rapid, but the need for oxygen and formal CPR increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection and alerting of breathing cessation events, enabling caregivers to intervene early with simple stimulation before the condition deteriorates to a point requiring oxygen or formal CPR. The early warning system prepares the caregiver to act immediately when needed, preventing the progression to more severe interventions.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one example, a system includes an enclosure and a moveable platform that is positioned within the enclosure and that can move within the enclosure while an infant is positioned on the moveable platform. The system further includes one or more speakers, one or more sensors, and one or more processors. The processors cause the speakers to output one or more sounds at a first volume. The processors further determine, based on data collected by the one or more sensors, that the infant has entered a particular sleep state or a particular stage of a sleep cycle. Following a first period of time since the determination that that the infant has entered the particular sleep state or the particular stage of the sleep cycle, the processors also cause the speakers to lower the first volume of the sounds to a second volume.