PFI:AIR - TT: RestEaze: Accessible Measures of Leg Movements during Rest and Sleep

University Of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a fully functional prototype for RestEaZe, a leg-worn device comprising capacitive and inertial sensors to distinguish between general leg movements (GLM) and periodic leg movements (PLM) during sleep. These leg movements can be associated with a variety of medical conditions including restless leg syndrome (RLS), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and insomnia, which collectively affect millions of adults and children. RestEaZe is an in-home sleep monitoring product that will give the user an immediate, scientifically accurate view of quiet vs. restless sleep, and changes in sleep, over several nights along with professionally developed interactive guides for improving sleep based on the RestEaZe results. The doctor will get advanced movement and sleep analyses with interactive graphic and numeric summaries of the patient's sleep over several days. There is currently no easily used at-home way to measure PLM, GLM and sleep/leg position. Leg movements in sleep divide into two phenotypes: General Leg movements during Sleep (GLM) are defined by actual leg movements and periodic leg movements of Sleep (PLM) are defined by periodic dorsiflexion of the foot at the ankle. GLM patterns reveal texture and severity for sleep-behavioral intervention and in this project GLM characteristics are related to arousal risk (GLMA); PLM reveal possible medical conditions such as restless legs syndrome (RLS), cardiac morbidity and REM (rapid eye movement) behavior disorder. PLM, GLM and GLMA along with sleep position will be used to develop metrics for PLM/hr, sleep time, wake during sleep and quiet vs. restless (fragmented) sleep to support evaluations and treatments. To address this technology gap, this project is developing and commercializing a novel system, RestEaZe that identifies GLM (leg movements), PLMS (foot flexions), and leg position using a single point measurement system in a home setting. Specifically, this project combines a flexible proprietary ankle band developed at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with proprietary PLM analytics developed at Johns Hopkins University. RestEaZe will be an enabling technology for identifying sleep status, evaluating treatments, e.g. oral iron, behavior therapy, RLS medications, and identifying possible medical conditions. The graduate students involved in the project will be exposed to a start up like environment where milestones have to be met within strict time limits. They will also participate in presentations and demonstrations that the faculty researchers will have during events such as the Technology Breakfast (an event where entrepreneurs demonstrate their prototypes in Baltimore), exposing them to the world of entrepreneurship and commercialization.