Airable technology for the monitoring of respiratory mechanics during sleep. A cross-sectional proof-of-concept study

Research summary

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a condition where the throat repeatedly closes during sleep, causing loud snoring and disrupted sleep. This leads to poor sleep quality, excessive sleepiness, and risk of car accidents. OSA also contributes to high blood pressure, heart problems, and higher mortality rates. Around 1 billion adults globally have OSA, including 8 million in the UK, but most are undiagnosed and untreated, risking serious health issues. The best way to diagnose OSA is through an overnight sleep study in a lab or at home, which uses sensors to monitor breathing, oxygen levels, and heart rate. There is a shortage of capacity for sleep studies in the UK, with only 16,000 tests done monthly. At this rate, it would take decades to find everybody with OSA. There is a clear need for new diagnostic methods. NICE is considering several new devices, including the Sunrise, AcuPebble, ResMed Night Owl, Brizzy, and WatchPAT devices. However, these devices still require a people to wear a device (wearable) and collect equipment either from hospital or via the post. Airable technologies work with signals transmitted through the air, such as sound or movement via technologies including sonar and radar. Reviva Softworks have developed a smartphone app called Snorelab, that is used by over 600,000 monthly active users to track snoring. They have developed a patented airable technology called PureTone, that tracks movement and is currently used in a smart alarm app, Sleepwave, which has over 100,000 monthly users. We have shown that PureTone technology can measure breathing rate and pattern in the daytime, showing potential as an Airable technology for the identification of OSA. PureTone has not yet been tested as an Airable technology in people with OSA. This study aims to provide proof of concept that PureTone can monitor respiratory mechanics overnight by comparing it to RP in patients suspected of having OSA.

Principal Investigator

Dr Christopher Turnbull

Contact us

Email: ICUResearch@ouh.nhs.uk

IRAS number

349254