CPAP machine with built-in filtration

Hi Linda, too many doctors want to be in the driver's seat, but if patients are knowledgable, some docs will appreciate it and work with pts. Theoretically we're not supposed to touch our pressure adjustments (or anything else), but it's like telling a diabetic to come in 3 x a day for a shot based on the MD's reading of a urinalysis strip (something diabetics are taught to do before ever leaving hospital after being diagnosed! Ridiculous. Dealers will also tell you not to touch anything, but as we all (almost all here, anyway) do it we've been able to come a long way in not only seeing results but learning from patterns, seeing how different machines use their algorithms, understanding why people with e.g. clear airway (or 'central') apneas have certain problems, what people with UARS do, how to adjust things for diff. circumstances, ages, anatomy environmental diffs, etc. etc. And we now can help each other - part of the benefit of learning! Without this forum I'd probably still be shlepping to some lab, MD or dealer for help (after 8 yrs on Rx) and not be satisfied, but as it is I haven't seen anyone since then and things are going great. It's all very scientific you know!

knightlite wrote:Improving the options on cpaps -- make all lights user controlled, make humidity setting lockouts.
I constantly hit the dial on my resperonics when turning on/off , I would like to disable the dial setting.

ditto!

If you are focusing on the Philips Respironics System One machines, that's a good low-hanging-fruit re-design!

By the way, the machine you linked to is indeed the PRS1 machine. You've just been using the "REMstar Auto" name in your posts that continues with that current machine, but is mostly confusing as it is used on this forum to refer to the old "tank" models from years ago. Current model number is 560 (which is what you must be referring to, as you mention humidity control and heated hose). Lousy data on-machine-screen, but great loads of data when looking at the SD card with computer software.

Many of us were glad to find this post before we bought our machines:
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/what-y ... me-part-i/
and this on data-capable machines:
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/2011/0 ... -machines/
(although I disagree with the 450 "Pro" model with AutoIQ being not recommended, as it is a full-data machine. And the model numbers now end in 60 instead of 50)

--SleepyCPAP
--SleepyCPAP

And I forgot to mention in my last note (if you haven't already heard it) that Resmed makes (and has made) many diff. models of machines. I really think you need to do some homework on your 'project'.

In terms of filtration I think that an option to use a much more refined (say .5um) filtration system would be nice especially if it included activated carbon filtering. I use activated carbon filtering at home and my nose loves it. As well “smells” do not awaken me.

Here is the link to a thread that discusses in great detail what we patients would like to see in the next ResMed AND Respironics machines.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90643&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... Dreamdiver

THANK YOU everyone for all your helpful replies!!

Due to your replies, we decided to change the directions of our design now. Instead, we're going to incorporate a LCD screen into the CPAP machine that would allow you to view your previous night's sleep at a glance. And maybe even wirelessly uploading those data to a cloud to allowing viewing from other devices.

We started a new topic forum to help get some feedbacks regarding this idea. Your replies previously were very help, please let us know what you think of this idea!
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=94026

If possible, help us consolidate the data by filling out our survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JFSCFJ9 (This is mentioned in the new post)

THANK YOU everyone again for your helpful feedbacks!!

As somebody mentioned, doctors and DMEs often believe that patients can't (and shouldn't) access the machine's data. But those of is with machines that provide data and the free software to view the data have a clear advantage in our therapy.

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that the newer Respironics machines do have some data on their screen, but I believe they have 7 day and 30 day averages, rather than the previous night. That isn't very helpful. I have the Resmed S9, and it shows the previous night's data.

Also, you mentioned the ramp feature helping with the steep learning curve. I think most of us would beg to differ. The ramp is intended to help people get used to their pressure, but the ramp starts too lo. This gives the user a feeling of suffocation that is not comfortable and can be really scary for a new user. Many new users quit because they can't get past the ramp, and they don't know that the ramp is the problem or that the ramp can be turned off.

Perhaps a helpful feature would be to simply eliminate pressures 4 and 5 and start the machine at 6. That won't help your project since it won't sell more machines. I think the improved LCD screen would be the best feature. And convince the company to stop selling bricks. Make ALL Machines capable of full data. Not only will people want them, but they will actually continue to use them. There wouldn't be so many quickly discarded machines on the mark competing for sales with new expensive machines.

Hi zoocrewphoto,

We understand that Resmed S9 only shows a few numbers of the previous night's data. We imagined that in addition to those numbers, our LCD will plot a graph of your previous nights sleep, where events occurred as well as flagging any events above a limit previously set with your doctor.

Thank you for letting us know about the ramp feature. We thought that it was designed to help users get used to the therapy. But guess not.

Many posts mentioned that CPAP therapy is hard to get used to. We understand this is mainly due to having a mask and a machine that forces you to breath. We can't really edit the mask. But do you think having the LCD which shows your previous night's sleep would help new users adapt to the therapy? ie maybe allowing them to quickly see their previous night's sleep would help them understand it better and allow them to continue their therapy and vary it to see what went right or wrong the night before? the machine will have analyzed the data and the LCD will only show the most useful data that experienced users look for.

lindalq wrote:Hi zoocrewphoto,

We understand that Resmed S9 only shows a few numbers of the previous night's data. We imagined that in addition to those numbers, our LCD will plot a graph of your previous nights sleep, where events occurred as well as flagging any events above a limit previously set with your doctor.

Thank you for letting us know about the ramp feature. We thought that it was designed to help users get used to the therapy. But guess not.

Many posts mentioned that CPAP therapy is hard to get used to. We understand this is mainly due to having a mask and a machine that forces you to breath. We can't really edit the mask. But do you think having the LCD which shows your previous night's sleep would help new users adapt to the therapy? ie maybe allowing them to quickly see their previous night's sleep would help them understand it better and allow them to continue their therapy and vary it to see what went right or wrong the night before? the machine will have analyzed the data and the LCD will only show the most useful data that experienced users look for.

It would be nicer to have more info on the screen, but I would expect it would be hard to put a graph at a useful size on the screen. If you can do that, it would be helpful. I usually just check the screen to see how many hours I got and how my ahi was. My leak is almost always zero. If I had a weird night, I will upload the card and check the full data.

The ramp feature WAS designed to help users get used to therapy. The problem is that the designers failed to try it themselves. Most experienced users know to avoid pressures below 6. We get tons of new people on this forum who are struggling with feelings of suffocation, caused by the ramp or am auto machine set 4-20. If the machines started at 6, then the ramp feature would be fine.

I do the screen would be very helpful. As I understand it, the Remstar machines have a 7 day and 30 day average, which is not really helpful. I have the Resmed S9, and i do check my screen every morning. The ahi is rarely ever bad, but I am comforted to see what it says. I also like to see how long I slept before waking up the first time, and the total for the night.

Have you had a chance to actually look at the machine you are planning to improve? And have you looked at the competition?

One of the things I have noticed where I work - most equipment, displays, etc were NOT designed by people who have ever had to use them. We used to have scales that had flash keys we could program. Each machine was customized, and the screens were set up in a logical order,making it easy to find the codes we needed to price everything. Last February, we got new scales. Fanciers, nice features. But whoever programmed the codes did a horrible job. Nothing logical. Most needed codes not even on a screen. And we can't program them ourselves. Over time, many products have been changed, codes have changed, so many of the flash keys are for things we don't sell anymore, while the new items don't have flash keys. I actually printed and laminated my cheat sheets that I would use to update the old scales, and we keep those next the scales. We have great machines, and their most useful feature (pre-programmed flash keys) are useless due to the idiots who programmed them. Instead, we use laminated papers and memorize as many codes as we can. Much faster than trying to find the flash keys.

So, if you really want to be successful, you need to think like a cpap user. You need to use the machine, see what it is like, and see what would be useful. And also look at your competition. See what is already been done so that you can do it better.

Hi zoocrewphoto,

zoocrewphoto wrote:Have you had a chance to actually look at the machine you are planning to improve? And have you looked at the competition?

zoocrewphoto wrote:So, if you really want to be successful, you need to think like a cpap user. You need to use the machine, see what it is like, and see what would be useful. And also look at your competition. See what is already been done so that you can do it better.

The machine we're planning to improve is Respironics system one and we figured that its major shortcoming is the Data capabilities as well as its menu screen in comparison to its fellow competitors. Its main competitor, ResMed, has way better data capability as well as screen ergonomics. However ResMed only shows AHI, which others found as not helpful as having a graph showing the events occurring throughout the night on SleepyHead or other softwares. Therefore we decided to incorporate LCD for Respironics system one and the LCD will show a graph of events occurring throughout the night. Furthermore, to enhance this feature, we decided to add wireless transfer of this data as well to allow users (including doctors) to see it anywhere and on any devices.

What do you think? Since we're not users it would be great to have your input to this.

lindalq wrote:Hi zoocrewphoto,

zoocrewphoto wrote:Have you had a chance to actually look at the machine you are planning to improve? And have you looked at the competition?

zoocrewphoto wrote:So, if you really want to be successful, you need to think like a cpap user. You need to use the machine, see what it is like, and see what would be useful. And also look at your competition. See what is already been done so that you can do it better.

The machine we're planning to improve is Respironics system one and we figured that its major shortcoming is the Data capabilities as well as its menu screen in comparison to its fellow competitors. Its main competitor, ResMed, has way better data capability as well as screen ergonomics. However ResMed only shows AHI, which others found as not helpful as having a graph showing the events occurring throughout the night on SleepyHead or other softwares. Therefore we decided to incorporate LCD for Respironics system one and the LCD will show a graph of events occurring throughout the night. Furthermore, to enhance this feature, we decided to add wireless transfer of this data as well to allow users (including doctors) to see it anywhere and on any devices.

What do you think? Since we're not users it would be great to have your input to this.

That sounds really good. Will the screen be large enough to show graphs? My graphs on the computer screen do take up the width of my screen for the night.

zoocrewphoto wrote:That sounds really good. Will the screen be large enough to show graphs? My graphs on the computer screen do take up the width of my screen for the night.

We're thinking of either an LCD that slide out or even a projector. Or even another way of analyzing/displaying the data more efficiently so that at a glance it would tell you what you're most concerned with, and if you want more detail regarding your sleep, then you can check with your computer.

Also, since we're not users, what kind of data do you usually check on your computer? We know that AHI and snoring are the common ones. Could you expand on the first few things you check when you look at the data on your computer?

Thanks!

lindalq wrote:

zoocrewphoto wrote:That sounds really good. Will the screen be large enough to show graphs? My graphs on the computer screen do take up the width of my screen for the night.

We're thinking of either an LCD that slide out or even a projector. Or even another way of analyzing/displaying the data more efficiently so that at a glance it would tell you what you're most concerned with, and if you want more detail regarding your sleep, then you can check with your computer.

Also, since we're not users, what kind of data do you usually check on your computer? We know that AHI and snoring are the common ones. Could you expand on the first few things you check when you look at the data on your computer?

Thanks!

I want to see the events, how they are spread out (or clustered), how long they are, and what type they are. Most people will check for leak as that can throw off all the data and make therapy ineffective. My leak is almost always zero because anything that blows on me or hisses will wake me up.

I also want to see what my pressure was doing. My pressure is 11-17. Most of the night, it will be under 14, with a few spikes. If the spikes are frequent or longer, then something is going on. If it tops out, I would need to reassess my therapy. I also look at my breathing. Sometimes, I will zoom in to see what it is doing during a specific time. Overall, *my* data has been pretty darned good. But a lot of people who come to this forum have been sent home with a machine that is set wide open and not really efficient. And many people have settings, but sleeping at home is different than at the lab. Many people need adjustments to their pressure settings, and many DMEs and doctors simply don;t care enough to review the data themselves.

http://www.zoocrewphoto.com/apap.htm

The last two images on the page show the main data. This was from my 4th night on cpap, so I no longer look at the ahi graph. I just look at the ahi and its breakdown in the summary.

zoocrewphoto wrote:
I want to see the events, how they are spread out (or clustered), how long they are, and what type they are. Most people will check for leak as that can throw off all the data and make therapy ineffective. My leak is almost always zero because anything that blows on me or hisses will wake me up.

I also want to see what my pressure was doing. My pressure is 11-17. Most of the night, it will be under 14, with a few spikes. If the spikes are frequent or longer, then something is going on. If it tops out, I would need to reassess my therapy. I also look at my breathing. Sometimes, I will zoom in to see what it is doing during a specific time. Overall, *my* data has been pretty darned good. But a lot of people who come to this forum have been sent home with a machine that is set wide open and not really efficient. And many people have settings, but sleeping at home is different than at the lab. Many people need adjustments to their pressure settings, and many DMEs and doctors simply don;t care enough to review the data themselves.

http://www.zoocrewphoto.com/apap.htm

The last two images on the page show the main data. This was from my 4th night on cpap, so I no longer look at the ahi graph. I just look at the ahi and its breakdown in the summary.

Awesome! thank you zoocrewphoto! If you haven't had a chance yet, could you fill out our survey? This is just to help us consolidate all the information. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JFSCFJ9