(I-332) SMART MULTIFUNCTIONAL INFANT APNEA MONITOR DESIGN: PERSPECTIVES ON CRITICAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Introduction:: Infant apnea is a sleep disorder often associated with difficulty in breathing. This disorder contributes significantly to infant mortality and morbidity in Low-and-Middle Income Countries (LMICs) particularly in rural areas where most hospitals are poorly equipped with medical devices. Innovations in the design and development of infant apnea monitors are fraught with several challenges. The aim of this paper is to provide perspectives on critical design considerations for the development of a multifunctional infant apnea monitor.

Materials and Methods:: The study describes design considerations critical to the development of a smart multifunctional infant apnea monitor with perspectives shaped by experiences from the successful design and development of the proof of concept (POC). The challenges encountered during the development of the project were examined. Appropriate recommendations on design considerations were made.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions:: Results
From our experience, we found that the design of a multifunctional infant apnea monitor requires careful design consideration of the peculiarities of infants. The main challenge encountered during the project was difficulty of the sensor in detecting cessation of breathing.

Conclusions
The study revealed important design considerations necessary for the successful design and development of a smart multifunctional infant apnea monitor.

Discussions
Key design consideration was the type of sensor and its ability to detect breathing given the weak respiratory muscle contraction in infants and the presence of artifacts. In addition, the need to use very efficient signal amplification and filtering systems were identified. Adequate consideration should be given to sensor packaging by making use of biocompatible materials to prevent skin irritation, adverse reaction and injury to the patient.

Acknowledgements (Optional): : Research reported in this publication was supported by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number D43TW010134. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Co-funding partners include: Fogarty International Center (FIC), NIH Common Fund, Office of Strategic Coordination, Office of the Director (OD/OSC/CF/NIH), Office of AIDS Research, Office of the Director (OAR/NIH), Office of Research on Women's Health, Office of the Director (ORWH/NIH), National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD/NIH), and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS/NIH).

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