Tactile Stimulation Actuators for Rapid Apnea Intervention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices for preventing and terminating apnea in preterm infants are inadequate in providing prompt responses, leading to prolonged apnea, hypoxia, and bradycardia, and impose a heavy workload on caregivers, with existing automated systems being complex, unsuitable for infants, or lacking guaranteed stroking sensation.
Innovation Solution
An automated stimulation device with at least two actuators that induce a tactile inter-stimulus onset asynchrony (ISOA) effect, controlled by a formula (Stimulus onset interval = 0.31 × duration of stimulation + 0.0473) to create an apparent tactile movement, using pneumatic balloon actuators and sensors to monitor and respond to apnea, bradycardia, and hypoxia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual tactile stimulation by nurse is used to terminate apnea, then apnea can be terminated, but response time is delayed and workload is heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated detection and response to apnea events without requiring nurse intervention. The actuator automatically provides tactile stimulation when apnea is detected, allowing the system to serve itself rather than relying on human response.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical stimulation by nurse is replaced with an automated mechanical actuator system. The actuator delivers controlled tactile stimuli to the infant's body surface, substituting the manual mechanical action with an automated mechanical device.
2Loss of time
If automated stimulation systems are used, then response time is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system monitors physiological parameters (respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation) and changes the stimulation parameters automatically based on detected apnea events. The actuator delivers stimuli with specific frequency and duration parameters that are adjusted according to the infant's condition.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator serves multiple functions: it can deliver different types of tactile stimuli (vibration, pressure, stroking motions) and can be applied to different body locations. The same device handles both monitoring and stimulation functions, reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If continuous mechanical stimulation is applied, then apnea prevention may be achieved, but habituation and reduced effectiveness occur
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous stimulation, the system applies periodic tactile stimuli only when apnea events are detected. The actuator delivers brief stimulation bursts at specific intervals based on the apnea detection, avoiding continuous exposure that would lead to habituation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects apnea events and applies stimulation as a preliminary intervention to prevent full apnea episodes or to terminate them early. By detecting respiratory pauses and applying stimuli before complete cessation occurs, the system prevents the harmful effects of prolonged apnea.
4Manufacturing precision
If complex stroking actuators are used, then guaranteed stroking sensation can be achieved, but device complexity and handling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex stroking actuator mechanism is extracted and replaced with a simpler vibration-based actuator. The patent recognizes that complex mechanical stroking devices are difficult to handle and maintain, so it extracts the essential function (tactile stimulation) and implements it through a simpler vibratory mechanism that achieves the same therapeutic effect.
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 device effectively shortens or prevents apnea, reduces hypoxia and bradycardia, decreases nurse workload, and enables earlier discharge by providing a prompt and accurate mechanical stimulation suitable for preterm infants.
Implementation Method 1
The actuators may be pneumatic balloon actuators (PBA)
Implementation Method 2
The actuators are actuated separately and/or in sequence with a frequency and/or amplitude that is determined and/or controlled to induce an apparent tactile movement in the subject
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an automated stimulation device for inducing a tactile inter-stimulus onset asynchrony (ISOA) effect in a subject suffering from apnea, bradycardia and/or hypoxia, the device comprising at least two actuators configured for contacting a body portion of the subject, and interspaced for producing an apparent tactile movement in the subject upon sequential induction of actuation, wherein the duration of the actuations and the overlap in actuation time between the at least two actuators is controlled to attain an inter stimulus onset asynchrony (ISOA).