Development and Validation of APNEBOOT to Detect and Stimulate in the Event of Apnea of Prematurity in Low-Resource Settings

Preterm babies often suffer from apneas. In low-resource settings where nurses are few, these apneas can often go unnoticed or detected late, which could lead to irreversible injury to the newborn. APNEBOOT is a wearable battery powered boot device, which detects apneas by monitoring blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate. The device sounds and lights an alarm for caretaker attention and stimulates the foot sole to automatically reverse an episode of central apnea. In the event of apnea, it also stimulates the foot which could be life-saving in the case of central apneas and absence of a caretaker. The device targets premature and at-risk newborns in understaffed neonatal intensive care units, in wards, during transport, or at homes in low-resource settings. The project aims to develop an initial APNEBOOT prototype, complete a feasibility and proof of concept study, refine the product design, and complete a controlled clinical trial showing the efficacy of the device when compared to standards of care.