Fuzzy logic cough detection in mechanically ventilated patients

Reports the application of fuzzy logic to signal interpretation in artificial ventilation. The problem analyzed is cough detection in mechanically ventilated human subjects. A fuzzy logic cough detection system has been devised and tested using data recorded in seven patients. Of 203 recorded breaths, 190 (>90%) have been correctly identified. The results suggest that the proposed approach is able to distinguish between breaths with and without coughing. This discrimination is important for computer-controlled ventilation systems in clinical routine applications.