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Vibrotactile stimulator system for detecting and interrupting apnea in infants

  • US 5,555,891 A
  • Filed: 04/17/1995
  • Issued: 09/17/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A vibrotactile stimulator system for detecting and interrupting apnea in infants comprising(1) a multi-sensing monitor for sensing a plurality of physiological functions including means for detecting the respiratory rate of the infant and signal output means for reporting signals from said detecting means;

  • (2) a vibrotactile sensory stimulator including a cutaneous vibrator for engaging a peripheral sensory area on the infant, said vibrator being cyclically operable at a frequency above about 150 Hz to stimulate the infant and interrupt the apneic episode; and

    (3) a control interface between the multi-sensing monitor and the stimulator for comparing the reported signals from the monitor for each physiological function with a preprogrammed standard to determine variations from the standard, said interface including means for integrating the variations for different functions and assessing a combination of said variations to indicate an apneic condition in the infant and means for triggering a timing means for delaying the transmission of a stimulator actuation until the apneic condition has persisted for a selected period, said interface including intervention output means for signaling actuation of the vibrotactile stimulator.

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