An apparatus for evaluating the tongue strength and coordination of a subject includes an intermediate device such as a lever which is pivotably attached to a coupling device and extends into a cavity of a nipple element. The lever is detached from the nipple and pivotable in response to deformation of the nipple element by a tongue force exerted on the nipple element by a subject during a suck-swallow-breathe sequence. The coupling device includes a sensing device to wirelessly transmit sensor outputs to a mobile device paired to the sensing device. The sensing device includes at least one sealed chamber defined by a membrane and a sensor. In one example, a first membrane and sensor senses pressure change in a fluid in the apparatus, and a second membrane and sensor is actuated by the intermediate device to sense deformation of the nipple element. A method using the apparatus is provided.

An apparatus including a body made of force-conveying material, wherein the body includes a nozzle part and a base part, the nozzle part protruding from the base part, and wherein the nozzle part is configured to fit at least partly into a mouth of a subject for feeding the subject, and at least one deformation sensor located in the base part, the deformation sensor being configured to sense, at the base part, deformation conveyed from the nozzle part through the force-conveying material.

A main body portion is shaped in a cylinder and formed with an intake port which is a hole through which air from an outside flows into the cylinder. The main body portion has one end, which is provided with one-way valve to impede inflow of air from the outside, and the other end, which is not provided with the one-way valve and through which the subject breathes. The resistance setting unit variably sets a magnitude of an inflow resistance to air flowing into the main body portion. The pressure measurement unit measures a pressure of air moving in the cylinder of the main body portion as the intraoral pressure.

A feeding transition system for transitioning an infant subject to oral feeding includes at least one no-flow nipple and at least one flow nipple. The no-flow nipple has a fully enclosed tip portion such that no fluid can flow directly from the nipple cavity through the nipple wall. The flow nipple is formed of a no-flow nipple having an aperture formed in the tip portion for flowing fluid from the nipple cavity through the nipple wall. The system includes a bolus delivery nipple formed of a no-flow nipple including a bolus delivery conduit disposed in the nipple cavity and in fluid communication with a reservoir of fluid. The bolus delivery conduit includes a conduit outlet attached to the nipple wall to output a bolus of fluid from the tip portion of the bolus delivery nipple via the outlet. A method for transitioning an infant subject to oral feeding is provided.

An intraoral pressure signal is associated with a pulse wave signal along a time axis. As a calibration coefficient, a ratio of a variation in an amount of change in an amplitude of the pulse wave signal from a preset second reference value to a variation in an amount of change in the intraoral pressure represented by the intraoral pressure signal from a preset first reference value is calculated based on the acquired pulse wave signal and the acquired intraoral pressure signal. An absolute value of an intrathoracic pressure of the subject is calculated by multiplying an estimated intrathoracic pressure, which is a relative value of the intrathoracic pressure estimated based on the pulse wave signal, by the calibration coefficient.

An apparatus for evaluating the tongue strength and coordination of a subject includes an intermediate device such as a lever which is pivotably attached to a coupling device and extends into a cavity of a nipple element. The lever is detached from the nipple and pivotable in response to deformation of the nipple element by a tongue force exerted on the nipple element by a subject during a suck-swallow-breathe sequence. The coupling device includes a sensing device to wirelessly transmit sensor outputs to a mobile device paired to the sensing device. The sensing device includes at least one sealed chamber defined by a membrane and a sensor. In one example, a first membrane and sensor senses pressure change in a fluid in the apparatus, and a second membrane and sensor is actuated by the intermediate device to sense deformation of the nipple element. A method using the apparatus is provided.

A system for preventing obstruction of an airway includes an internal component and an external component in embodiments described herein. The internal component can include an electrical coupling configured to extend to a muscle or nerve, and an access port electrically connected to the electrical coupling. The external component can include an access port counterpart configured to engage with the access port to provide an electrical connection, and a power supply. The power supply can provide power to the access port counterpart and the electrical connection, thereby powering the electrical coupling at the muscle or nerve to prevent obstruction of an airway due to obstructive sleep apnea.

An edible composition of matter having an apparent viscosity of from about 150 cP to about 2000 cP at about 30 s1; a yield stress of from 0 Pa to about 20 Pa at 1 s.sup.1; and a flow index of from about 0.2 to about 0.6. The composition may include an imaging agent. The compositions are useful for providing sustenance to dysphagic subjects and for evalualuating dysphagia.

A Home Sleep Testing (HST) device for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and snoring. The Device has an orally mounted microprocessor and sensor set configured to measure a user's movement, sleep pattern and snoring.

An apparatus for evaluating the tongue strength and coordination of a subject includes an intermediate device such as a lever which is pivotably attached to a coupling device and extends into a cavity of a nipple element. The lever is detached from the nipple and pivotable in response to deformation of the nipple element by a tongue force exerted on the nipple element by a subject during a suck-swallow-breathe sequence. The coupling device includes a sensing device to wirelessly transmit sensor outputs to a mobile device paired to the sensing device. The sensing device includes at least one sealed chamber defined by a membrane and a sensor. In one example, a first membrane and sensor senses pressure change in a fluid in the apparatus, and a second membrane and sensor is actuated by the intermediate device to sense deformation of the nipple element. A method using the apparatus is provided.