I-Corps: Translation Potential of a Medical Device for Early Detection of Sleep Apnea

The broader impact of this I-Corps project is based on the development of a prototype biomedical device that screens for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is under-diagnosed due to a lack of cost-effective and simple tools to screen for sleep apnea at home, as well as limited facilities to conduct diagnostic studies. This prototype screening device is potentially more cost-effective and easier to use, while allowing multiple-night testing at home, which is more accurate than single-night tests in designated facilities. This diagnostic device may yield early risk data, which could allow for proper triaging of patients to the sleep lab based on the severity of the disease. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of the technology. The solution is based on the development of a tool for the early detection of sleep apnea. Due to its wide-ranging impacts on cardiopulmonary health, novel screening methods that address the shortcomings of the current sleep apnea diagnostic studies, including long wait times and relatively low yield, are necessary. Though home sleep testing has been available for patients since 2010, 80% of sleep apnea cases remain undiagnosed. In response, this algorithm augmented prototype utilizes data such as oxygen signals and demographic and anthropometric data to predict the severity of sleep apnea at home. This prototype device has the potential to address the underdiagnosis of sleep apnea and improve clinical outcomes for patients. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.