China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) has developed a new home-based system, Intelligent Detection of Respiratory Events through Automated Monitoring (iDREAM), for detecting sleep apnoea.

The device utilises AI to accurately detect severe obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) during sleep sessions at home.

Featuring Quanta's QOCA Portable ECG Monitoring Device, the iDREAM system has demonstrated a 95.8% accuracy rate for identifying severe OSAS.

CMUH laryngology director Dr Yung-An Tsou highlighted the prevalence of sleep disorders in Taiwan, affecting more than 20% of the population. iDREAM aims to address this by providing an accessible and efficient diagnostic tool.

The clinical trials of iDREAM involving over 100 patients have shown promising results.

As part of the trial, Chang, a patient with severe snoring issues, underwent uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) and was subsequently monitored using iDREAM.

This portable device transmitted records to a cloud server, where ECG data was rapidly analysed by an AI model powered by extensive datasets.

Following treatment, Chang experienced significant relief from sleep apnoea and a notable improvement in sleep quality.

The home-based sleep detection system identifies ECG alterations during episodes of OSAS and assesses severity through its advanced deep learning approach.

It boasts accuracy rates of 92.7% and 93.2% for detecting sleep apnoea and wake-up events (indicating sleep interruption from apnoea), respectively.

While still undergoing clinical testing, iDREAM is poised to seek certification from the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration as a smart medical device, paving the way for its formal integration into clinical practice.