Development of a portable device for telemonitoring of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome symptoms

Snoring is a very common problem and a possible sign of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). In clinical practice, the use of polysomnographic (PSG) recording is a standard evaluation procedure for sleep-related breathing disorder (SRBD). However, PSG is not suitable for long-term monitoring in the home environment. This paper describes the development of a portable telemonitoring device that detects and identifies snoring and OSAS symptoms in real time by analyzing the temporal features of the snoring sound. The device itself also serves as a Web server. Doctors and caregivers can access real-time and historical data via a Microsoft Internet Explorer browser or a remote application program for telemonitoring of snoring and OSAS symptoms. In our validation test with 5 regular snorers and 5 OSAS patients, this detector showed a good performance in detecting snoring and achieved an average sensitivity of 94.0% and an average positive predictive value of 94.0%. The average sensitivity of OSAS segments was 81.1%, and the average positive predictive value was 73.3%. This device is not intended to be a diagnostic device for OSAS. Instead, this portable device is to be used as a home appliance as a precautionary measure for monitoring snoring and OSAS. Once OSAS symptoms are detected, a sound recorder records a 1-minute episode, so that the patient can consult doctors for further diagnosis. This portable telemonitoring device provides a convenient approach to better understand and recognize sleep-related breathing disorders.