Director of Study: Prof. Reza Saatchi
Additional Information: Open to all students; self-funded/governments sponsored/industry funded.
All studies are innovative, aiming to meet a real unmet need in medical engineering. Most are in collaboration with industry and hospitals

Summary

There is currently a need for an un-intrusive, cost effective, portable, accurate and easy to use respiration rate and respiratory airflow monitor. Respiration rate (number of breath taken per minute) is an important indicator of health. Furthermore, there are a number of respiratory related conditions such as apnoea where respiratory airflow needs to be measured and analysed carefully.

The aim of this study is to develop a device that can accurately measure respiration rate and respiratory airflow in a broad range of medical environments, such as surgeries, ambulances, A&E, sleep laboratories and operating theatres. An important feature of the device is that it will be as un-intrusive as possible, as intrusiveness can stress patients (especially children) causing an alteration in respiration rate and respiratory airflow. Our work in this area to date has resulted in several journal papers, research grants and prestigious prices.

A number of approaches are possible that could be signal processing or image processing based. Other approaches will require sensors and their integration with microprocessor. The work is primarily suited for graduates with a degree or MSc in electronics, physics, mathematics, computing, mechanics or related subjects.

For further information please contact Prof. Reza Saatchi