A device for increasing a user's awareness of his or her breathing includes a clip configured to attach to a user's nose, a hinge connected to the clip, an air deflection plate pivotably connected to the hinge and one or more sensors coupled with the air deflection plate. The air deflection plate is configured to pivot relative to the clip to at least partially deflect air flow into or out of a nostril while the air deflection plate is exterior to the nostril and the clip is attached to the user's nose. The one or more sensors are configured to sense data pertaining to the user's breathing through the nostril. A method for increasing breathing awareness includes, in response to air flow across an air deflection plate pivotably coupled with a clip gripping a user's nose, receiving breathing data with one or more sensors coupled with the air deflection plate.

Techniques for quantifying respiration using a wearable device are described. According to some aspects, a wearable device includes multiple thermal sensors thermally coupled to one or more heat spreaders. The wearable device may in some cases be small enough to be wearable between the mouth and nose of the patient, such as via an adhesive attachment to the upper lip. When the patient exhales, air is produced through the mouth and/or through the nose. Each heat spreader may absorb heat of exhaled air which may thermally propagate to a thermal sensor coupled to the heat spreader. By measuring the change in temperature over time measured by the thermal sensors, measures of respiration such as respiratory rate, minute volume and/or tidal volume of the patient may be determined. Such measures may be determined by the wearable device or by an external device to which data is transmitted.

Systems and methods are provided for a respiratory sensor for a medical monitoring system that does not require an internal power source. The systems and methods adjust an electrical characteristic of a respiratory sensor based on a property of interest of an airflow path, receiving an excitation signal, and generating a response based on the excitation signal and the electrical characteristic.

A method is presented for predicting heat stroke of a subject. The method includes an earbud covered with a waterproof moisture permeable membrane allowing for moisture penetration, the earbud including an infrared (IR) temperature sensor for measuring core body temperature of the subject, wherein the IR temperature sensor is covered with a waterproof IR transmittable film to inhibit water drops from contacting a detector of the IR temperature sensor, a first humidity sensor positioned within a sweat flow path within the earbud, a second humidity sensor positioned outside the earbud, and a sodium ion (Na.sup.+) concentration sensor for measuring hydration levels of the subject.

A respiratory tidal volume monitor and feedback device (RTVMFD) comprising a frame, a flow channel tube attached to the frame, a mass flow sensor disposed on the flow channel tube to detect air flow through the flow channel tube, a microcontroller unit attached to the frame and electrically connected to the mass flow sensor via a bus, the microcontroller unit having a system processor, a system memory, and a system clock, a visual display attached to a top of the frame, the visual display being electrically connected to the bus. According to a further embodiment, the RTVMFD further comprises an audio output attached to the frame and electrically connected to the bus.

Devices and methods for monitoring physiologic parameters are described herein which may utilize a non-invasive respiratory monitor to detect minor variations in expiratory airflow pressure known as cardiogenic oscillations which are generated by changes in the pulmonary blood volume that correspond with the cardiac cycle. These cardiogenic oscillations are a direct indicator of cardiac function and may be used to correlate various physiologic parameters such as stroke volume, pulmonary artery pressure, etc.

An electrode lead comprises an electrically insulative cuff body and at least three axially aligned electrode contacts circumferentially disposed along the inner surface of the cuff body when in the furled state. The electrode contacts may be circumferentially disposed around a nerve, and an electrical pulse train may be delivered to the electrode contacts thereby stimulating the nerve to treat obstructive sleep apnea. The electrical pulse train may be one that pre-conditions peripherally located nerve fascicles to not be stimulated, while stimulating centrally located nerve fascicles. A feedback mechanism can be used to titrate electrode contacts and electrical pulse train to the patient. A sensor that is affixed to the case of a neurostimulator can be used to measure physiological artifacts of respiration, and a motion detector can be used to sense tapping of the neurostimulator to toggle the neurostimulator between an ON position and an OFF position.

A breathing apparatus includes a tube having a proximal end connected to a breathing mask and a distal end connected to a splitter. A first branch has a proximal end connected to the splitter and an open distal end. A first sensor is arranged within the first branch and operatively connected to a processing module. A first flow control valve is arranged in the first branch and operatively connected to the processing module. A second branch has a proximal end connected to the splitter and a distal end connected to an inflatable reservoir. A second sensor is arranged within the second branch and operatively connected to a processing module. A second flow control valve arranged in the second branch and operatively connected to the processing module. The breathing apparatus can adjust a pneumatic resistance according to a programmed training protocol and counteract hyperventilation by recirculating exhaled air.

An electrode lead comprises an electrically insulative cuff body and at least three axially aligned electrode contacts circumferentially disposed along the inner surface of the cuff body when in the furled state. The electrode contacts may be circumferentially disposed around a nerve, and an electrical pulse train may be delivered to the electrode contacts thereby stimulating the nerve to treat obstructive sleep apnea. The electrical pulse train may be one that pre-conditions peripherally located nerve fascicles to not be stimulated, while stimulating centrally located nerve fascicles. A feedback mechanism can be used to titrate electrode contacts and electrical pulse train to the patient. A sensor that is affixed to the case of a neurostimulator can be used to measure physiological artifacts of respiration, and a motion detector can be used to sense tapping of the neurostimulator to toggle the neurostimulator between an ON position and an OFF position.

A device and method for measuring respiratory air flow of a subject are provided. The device includes a hollow member having a proximal end, a distal end and a flow passage formed between the proximal and distal ends. The proximal end is configured to be received in a mouth of a subject. A flow sensor, such as thermal mass flow sensor, is disposed in the flow passage and configured to sense characteristics of an air flow in the flow passage. A processor is communicatively coupled to the flow sensor and configured to determine, based on an output from the flow sensor, whether the sensed characteristics of the air flow correspond to predetermined parameters.