Many people still might be uncomfortable putting on a wearable monitor. But developers behind one of the latest innovations are hoping their stretchable patch is an easier solution to swallow.
That’s because it’s meant to go over a patient’s throat and collect data on dysphagia or respiratory issues.
Roughly 15% of older adults have dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, according to one senior living provider. It’s particularly common for older adults who have had a stroke or have a neurodegenerative disorder such as Alzheimer’s, the Mayo Clinic notes.
“Currently, the commercial devices to track laryngeal signatures are rigid, bulky and tethered,” the study authors wrote. “Therefore, soft on-throat devices are urgently needed to continuously monitor laryngeal activities for diagnosis and rehabilitation evaluation.”
The throat sensor, which looks like a translucent band-aid, is connected to an artificial intelligence system, which was intended to make predictions based on users’ speech and swallowing data.
The sensor also overcomes a major challenge these tools often have: getting meaningful insights amidst “noisy” data caused by skin movement or extra signals, the researchers said.
The AI component also may be able to train to filter out extra noise, such as what other researchers have accomplished with tools to monitor heart disease.
The ability to design less intrusive wearables for older adults is important because they may benefit more from collecting passive data on their health vitals, and because seniors are more sensitive to the physical irritation wearables may induce.
For this reason, not as many older adults who should be using wearables, such as people with heart disease, are taking advantage of them, the McKnight’s Tech Daily reported last summer.
One wearable similar to the throat patch that already is out on the market is a small “pencil weight” chest heart monitor, Zio, made by tech company iRhythm. Researchers also are hoping that thin textile patches for heart monitoring eventually can replace electrocardiograms.
Eugen Boglaru is an AI aficionado covering the fascinating and rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence. From machine learning breakthroughs to ethical considerations, Eugen provides readers with a deep dive into the world of AI, demystifying complex concepts and exploring the transformative impact of intelligent technologies.
