SENSAPNEA provides an easy-to-use and affordable solution for sleep apnea diagnosis that patients operate in their own home. SENSAPNEA relies on an innovative chin sensor, a mobile app and a private, secure ICT solution, offering easy communication between patients and physicians.

Origins

Over 30 million people are undiagnosed for sleep apnea in Europe. Polysomnography (PSG) is the gold-standard diagnostic technique for sleep apnea, but it involves an overnight stay in a hospital or sleep unit and is costly and labour-intensive. The new chin sensor device developed by the consortium has already obtained preliminary evidence of its efficacy, and it promises to reduce costs and societal burden.

Team

The consortium gathers international and complementary expertise of renowed centres, who work in synergy with Université Grenoble Alpes, the project coordinator: Imperial College London (clinical research) MADoPA (living lab), Fondation de l’Avenir (cost analysis), Docapost (data storage), and Neoma and Probayes (AI). These higly skilled experts cooperate for the success of the end-to-end solution.

The project

SENSAPNEA is an entrepreneurship project for the development of a simple solution for sleep apnea diagnosis and value-based care. The solution is easy for patients to use in their own homes and is cost-effective for both patients and physicians.

The proposed solution has three components:

1. a chin sensor recording mandibular movements, which represent a reliable marker of respiratory efforts;
2. a mobile app for patient-operated data recording and dashboard visualization;
3. a cloud-based platform for patient data management

The innovative, simplified sleep apnea diagnostic promises better prevention and management of chronic diseases, at a reduced cost. It also empowers citizens to take charge of their own health with a digitally-enabled platform that involves joint-management with patients.

Impact

SENSAPNEA uses new technology to provide a simpler, end-to-end solution that will improve care access for at-risk individuals, especially in underserved communities with low socioeconomic status. It will provide a unique experience for educating patients in the field of sleep apnea. It has a positive impact on healthcare systems by offering easy access to care, improvement of quality and cost-effectiveness.

Why this is an EIT Health project

By offering an opportunity for patients to diagnose sleep apnea at home, this project is in keeping with the EIT Health Focus Area of Bringing Care Home. The solution’s promise to increase the number of people who undergo sleep apnea diagnosis is also in line with the Focus Area of “Impoving Care Pathways”.

External Partners

• Docapost
• Neoma
• Probayes