Mandibular Gyroscope Sensing for Sleep Disorder Movement Differentiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sleep disorder detection systems fail to accurately differentiate between mandibular movements induced by respiratory and non-respiratory factors, leading to inaccurate diagnosis due to separate consideration of head and mandible movements, which are often influenced by chest or trachea movements during breathing.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a gyroscope to measure mandibular rotations, an accelerometer to measure head movements, and optionally a magnetometer, with a data analysis unit to process and match these measurements to characterize sleep disorders by associating head and mandible movements, using machine learning for pattern recognition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If accelerometer data is used to measure head and mandible movements separately, then the system can capture basic movement information, but the measurement precision deteriorates because the link between head movements and mandible movements is not sufficiently considered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines accelerometer and gyroscope data streams into a unified processing system that analyzes the temporal and spatial relationship between head movements and mandible movements. The processing unit integrates multiple sensor inputs to distinguish between respiratory-induced mandibular movements (tracheal tug) and brain-controlled movements, thereby improving measurement precision while managing device complexity through coordinated sensor fusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The gyroscope acts as an intermediary sensor that provides rotational movement data of the mandible, bridging the gap between head movement detection and mandible movement detection. This intermediary measurement enables the system to differentiate between movements caused by tracheal tug and those caused by brain control, enhancing diagnostic accuracy without requiring overly complex processing.
2Reliability
If only accelerometer data is processed, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability deteriorates because mandibular movements cannot be accurately differentiated between respiratory and non-respiratory origins
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges accelerometer and gyroscope sensing units into a single integrated system that processes multiple data streams simultaneously. This combination enables reliable differentiation between respiratory and non-respiratory mandibular movements by analyzing the temporal correlation between head movements (accelerometer) and mandible rotations (gyroscope), thereby improving diagnostic reliability while managing device complexity through unified sensor architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical acceleration measurement with a hybrid sensor system that incorporates gyroscopic rotational sensing. This substitution enables more reliable detection of mandibular movement origins by capturing rotational dynamics that distinguish between passive tracheal tug-induced movements and active brain-controlled movements, enhancing reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Measurement precision
If separate processing of head and mandible movement data is used, then the processing simplicity is maintained, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to lack of temporal association between movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary temporal alignment and filtering of accelerometer and gyroscope data streams before final analysis. By pre-processing the data to establish temporal associations between head movements and mandible movements, the system achieves precise movement characterization without requiring overly complex real-time processing, thus balancing measurement precision with processing efficiency.
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
Enhances the accuracy of sleep disorder detection by distinguishing between brain-controlled and tracheal tug-induced mandibular movements, providing precise identification of sleep disorders with improved sensitivity and patient comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a gyroscope adapted to measure movements of the mandible of a subject
Implementation Method 2
an accelerometer adapted to measure movements of the head and/or of the mandible of a subject
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure herein relates to devices, systems and methods for detecting disturbances that may occur during the sleep of a subject. In particular, in some embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods described herein comprise a sensing unit and a processing unit for processing data relating to disturbances that may occur during the sleep of a subject, in which the sensing unit may include a gyroscope adapted to measure movements of the mandible of a subject.