Multi-Sensor Respiratory–Swallow Telecare System for Safe Feeding in Different Trunk Inclinations: System Development and Clinical Application

Abstract

Proper positioning is especially important to ensure feeding and eating safely. With many nursing facilities restricting visitations and close contact during the coronavirus pandemic, there is an urgent need for remote respiratory–swallow monitoring. This study aimed to develop a semiautomatic feeding telecare system that provides instant feedback and warnings on-site and remotely. It also aimed to analyze the effects of trunk positions on respiratory–swallow coordination. A signal collector with multiple integrated sensors for real-time respiratory–swallow monitoring and warning was developed. A repeated measures design was implemented to evaluate the effects of trunk inclination angles on the swallow-related functions. Significant differences in inclination angles were discovered for swallowing apnea (p = 0.045) and total excursion time of thyroid cartilage (p = 0.037), and pairwise comparisons indicated that these differences were mostly present at 5° to 45°. Alerts were triggered successfully when undesired respiratory patterns or piecemeal occurred. The results indicated that a care recipient can swallow more easily when sitting upright (5°) than when leaning backward (45°). This telecare system provides on-site and remote respiratory–swallow monitoring and alerting for residents in care facilities and can serve as a pipeline for the early screening of swallowing dysfunction.