Stephen F Abbott

US Patent:

20180160967, Jun 14, 2018

Filed:

Dec 7, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/835316

Inventors:

- Marietta GA, US
Stephen F. Abbott - Redlands CA, US

International Classification:

A61B 5/00
A61H 31/00
A61B 5/08
A43B 3/30
A41D 19/01
A41B 13/00

Abstract:

A system for dealing with breathing anomalies can monitor a subject for indications of breathing anomalies while the subject is sleeping. For example, the system can monitor blood oxygen saturation utilizing a pulse oximeter placed on a finger or toe, breathing rate utilizing a camera, or another appropriate physiological parameter. When a breathing anomaly is detected, the system can stimulate a volar surface of the subject, such as a planar surface of the subject's foot or a palmar surface of the subject's hand. The stimulation of the volar surface can manipulate the subject's breathing, for example producing the Babinski response as a sleep apnea therapy. Stimulating the volar surface can comprise producing or emulating a stroking motion across the volar surface, for example. In some examples, an array of actuators can be disposed adjacent the volar surface, and the actuators can actuate sequentially to stimulate the volar surface.