This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is a research and development effort to create a platform technology for wearable sleep monitoring devices. Currently, there is no miniaturized, user-friendly skin-worn sleep monitor that combines measurements of the key biomedical parameters necessary for identifying causes of sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation is of epidemic proportions and has several main causes. Sleep apnea stands out as the most common and often undetected cause. Millions of Americans are sleep deprived and at risk of sleep apnea with most of them remaining unaware of their condition and suffering the health, productivity and quality of life consequences. A successful completion of this project will aim to help to provide diagnoses for this group, allowing them to seek treatment. The introduction of this new device will also broaden the utility of clinical sleep monitors. The low projected cost of this sleep monitor will drive down up-front costs, while the wider use of sleep monitors will reduce the healthcare expenditure associated with the treatment of disorders stemming from sleep deprivation and sleep apnea. The commercial potential for this platform technology is significant with the total potential market estimated at several billion dollars.
The feasibility of the proposed diagnostic method for sleep monitoring has been recently proven, and this project aims to implement this method for a platform technology which can be used for a range of miniature skin-worn sleep monitoring products both for consumers and healthcare professionals. The sleep monitoring technology developed during this project will be a combination of the company's achievements in the area of sleep diagnostics and the best technologies and materials available for wearable devices. The proposed device includes new and powerful types of sensors which are not found in competing devices, and which promise improved performance. The specific objectives of this project are to integrate the latest electronic components and the most advanced materials with our proprietary method and to achieve a robust and reliable design. This project will explore the use of the latest battery technologies, advanced miniature flexible circuit board manufacturing processes and the latest plastic materials to create a design that expands the application of wearable devices and sleep monitors. A successful completion will lead to the development of a cutting-edge sleep monitoring technology that will serve as a tool for assessing cause of sleep deprivation in general and sleep apnea, in particular.
