Multi-Sensor Respiratory-Swallow Telecare System for Safe Feeding in Different Trunk Inclinations: System Development...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Safe feeding and swallowing are critical, especially in nursing facilities.
• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for remote monitoring solutions.
• Existing methods lack real-time, remote respiratory-swallow coordination assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a semiautomatic feeding telecare system for remote respiratory-swallow monitoring.
• To provide instant feedback and warnings for safe feeding.
• To analyze the impact of trunk positions on respiratory-swallow coordination.

Main Methods:

• Developed a signal collector with integrated sensors for real-time monitoring.
• Employed a repeated measures design to assess trunk inclination angles.
• Evaluated swallow-related functions and respiratory patterns.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in swallowing apnea and thyroid cartilage excursion were found at inclination angles from 5° to 45°.
• The system successfully triggered alerts for abnormal respiratory patterns.
• Upright trunk positioning (5°) facilitated easier swallowing compared to backward leaning (45°).

Conclusions:

• The developed telecare system enables effective on-site and remote monitoring of respiratory-swallow coordination.
• This system can aid in the early screening of swallowing dysfunction in care facility residents.
• Trunk positioning significantly influences swallowing safety and efficiency.