Contact-free, wearable-free sleep monitor for diagnosing sleep apnea

Non-Contact Point of Care Device for Sleep Studies

NIH-funded research Innovative Design Labs, INC. · NIH-11255274

A compact, non-contact device that uses heart and breathing signals and sleep-stage monitoring to find obstructive sleep apnea for people with suspected sleep problems or at higher risk.

Quick facts

Grant typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionInnovative Design Labs, INC. NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Minneapolis, United States)
Project IDNIH-11255274 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This project is building a portable, contact-free sleep monitor you could use at home or in a clinic that does not require wearable sensors. The device measures heart rate, breathing rate, and sleep stages using non-contact sensors and an AI algorithm to flag likely obstructive sleep apnea events. In this Phase IIB effort the team will complete testing and validation needed to move the product toward market readiness and regulatory use. The system is also designed for longer-term monitoring so it could track sleep changes during treatment or lifestyle interventions.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with symptoms suggesting obstructive sleep apnea (loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, witnessed pauses) or people at higher risk such as those with type 2 diabetes.

Not a fit: People who require full in-lab polysomnography for complex or rare sleep disorders (for example suspected central sleep apnea) or certain pediatric patients may not benefit from this device.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the device could make sleep apnea testing easier to access and more comfortable, enabling earlier diagnosis and more convenient home monitoring.

How similar studies have performed: Home sleep tests that use contact sensors are established, while contact-free, AI-driven sleep monitors are newer and have shown promising but still emerging validation data.

Where this research is happening

Minneapolis, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.