Development of apnea interruption system by vibratory stimulus

The present study was undertaken to develop an automated sleep apnea control system that would awake an infant experiencing an apneic event. At present, the method of alerting an infant involves stimulation by the nursing staff. In our system, a vibratory stimulator is used that will not endanger the safety of the infant, yet still provide an effective stimulus. The preliminary results obtained from clinical trials indicate that the vibratory stimulator meets all the requirements for use as a safe, efficient means of apnea interruption.