ResApp Health Ltd.

A new AI model for diagnosing sleep apnea has been developed by a research team at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. The deep learning model analyses cephalograms, focusing on the tongue and its surrounding structures, which are highly associated with sleep apnea. Based on a press statement, the model was developed using head and neck x-ray image data of 5,591 patients at SNUBH. It was then tested in a study, which found it to be highly accurate in detecting sleep apnea. WHY IT MATTERS Around a billion people aged 30 and above globally have been estimated to have sleep apnea, and this number is not far from decreasing. Its prevalence and growth relate to increased detection and other risk factors, such as obesity and craniofacial and upper airway abnormalities. According to the SNUBH research team, there are limitations to current screening tests available in the market for detecting sleep apnea. Some have low accuracy rates, while others may not be suitable for use in multi-person settings. For this reason, they developed their AI model to further improve early diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea while being simple and inexpensive. MARKET SNAPSHOT A research team from Japan is also using AI to study sleeping disorders and identify digital biomarkers related to them. Four H and Aculys Pharma have embarked on this research with the aim of building a comprehensive sleep ecosystem to improve people's quality of sleep. Meanwhile, a mobile phone-based sleep apnea test called SleepCheck Rx by Australian company ResApp received the United States FDA's 510(k) clearance last year. The app screens for apnea by analysing records of breathing and snore sounds. Also, Singaporean smartwatch brand BUZUD has recently added oxygen saturation measurement to its smartwatch products, providing a capability to measure and track sleep patterns for identifying sleep apnea.

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics has introduced the latest One UI 5 Watch with a new feature that supports quality sleep. WHAT IT'S ABOUT The latest software on the Galaxy Watch devices has three new sleep-related features. First, the Sleep Insights UI presents a user's sleep score from the prior night's rest, along with related metrics, including sleep phases, snoring hours, and blood oxygen level. Second, the sleep coaching feature helps users track their sleeping habits; it utilises week-long sleep data and a survey to generate insights around eight sleep types. Finally, it switches to infrared sensors instead of green LED light to help minimise distractions due to light during sleep. This feature complements SmartThings and Sleep Mode on the Galaxy Watch which are instantly triggered once the user is detected to have fallen asleep. The former allows users to switch off their connected devices and the latter mutes notifications and dims the user's mobile phone and watch screens. Aside from these sleep-related enhancements on the Galaxy Watch, Samsung also released the personalised heart rate zone, which analyses the user's physical capabilities and sets optimal workout intensity levels, and updated SOS and fall detection features. Based on a press statement, the One UI 5 Watch is slated for initial release later this year in the upcoming Galaxy Watch series. WHY IT MATTERS Samsung said in a statement that it believes that achieving one's wellness goals starts with quality sleep. "Samsung is dedicated to delivering a comprehensive health experience and empowering users to reach their wellness goals. Now more than ever, we believe this starts with getting a good night’s sleep," claimed Hon Pak, VP and head of Digital Health at Samsung Electronics. In coming up with the new sleep-related features on the Galaxy Watch, Samsung identified three key elements for better sleep: understanding personal sleep patterns, building healthy habits and establishing a sleep-friendly environment. One UI 5 Watch, it said, delivers on all these elements. MARKET SNAPSHOT Across Asia-Pacific, there have been innovations around sleep health that aim to promote better sleep and improved diagnosis of sleep disorders. Health tech startup Enerjoy in Hong Kong added snoring detection a few years ago to its mobile sleep tracker app ShutEye to help users understand their sleep patterns. In Australia, researchers from Monash University developed the mobile app SleepSync to help tailor the sleep-wake cycle for hospital shift workers, taking into account their work and personal calendars and records of sleep/wake time and mood. Meanwhile, South Korean startup HoneyNaps has utilised AI to come up with SOMNUM, which can automatically provide polysomnography readings, shortening the time to diagnose sleep disorders to below five minutes from the usual three to four hours. Last year, Australian company ResApp received the United States FDA 510(k) clearance for its mobile sleep apnoea screening app SleepCheckRx. Intended for use at home by adults, the app screens for sleep disorders by analysing breathing and snoring sounds recorded through the mobile phone.

Belgian sleep-focused digital health startup Sunrise received FDA 510(k) clearance for its home sleep apnea test that's placed on a user's chin at night. The test utilizes a sensor that analyzes bio-signals from mandibular jaw movements, which can help calculate respiratory disturbance often found in sleep apnea patients. It also evaluates airflow and oximetry during sleep to aid in diagnosing sleep-related breathing disorders and sleep apnea. Results are then sent to an AI-enabled app that analyzes the data, which users can share with a healthcare provider via an online portal. THE LARGER TREND Professional sleep apnea tests often involve overnight monitoring at a sleep center, but home testing companies have emerged that allow patients to test for this disorder at home. In 2021, UK-based wearable medical device company Acurable's AcuPebble SA100 received FDA 510(k) clearance. The device senses, records and interprets physiological signals, like a patient's respiratory pattern, while they sleep to prescreen for obstructive sleep apnea. ASX-listed ResApp Health also received 510(k) clearance for SleepCheckRx, a mobile sleep apnea screening app that screens for the condition by analyzing breathing and snoring sounds recorded via phone.