Abstract
AbstractSwallowing is a complex neuromuscular activity regulated by the autonomic nervous system. Millions of adults suffer from dysphagia (impaired or difficulty swallowing), including patients with neurological disorders, head and neck cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, and respiratory disorders. Therapeutic treatments for dysphagia include interventions by speech-language pathologists designed to improve the physiology of the swallowing mechanism by training patients to initiate swallows with sufficient frequency and during the expiratory phase of the breathing cycle. These therapeutic treatments require bulky, expensive equipment to synchronously record swallows and respirations, confined to use in clinical settings. This paper introduces a wireless, wearable technology that enables continuous, mechanoacoustic tracking of respiratory activities and swallows through movements and vibratory processes monitored at the skin surface. Validation studies in healthy adults (n = 67) and patients with dysphagia (n = 4) establish measurement equivalency to existing clinical standard equipment. Additional studies using a differential mode of operation reveal similar performance even during routine daily activities and vigorous exercise. A graphical user interface with real-time data analytics and a separate, optional wireless module support both visual and haptic forms of feedback to facilitate the treatment of patients with dysphagia.
Funder
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | NCI | Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives, National Cancer Institute
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Health Information Management,Health Informatics,Computer Science Applications,Medicine (miscellaneous)
Cited by
18 articles.
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