Invention:
This is technology is a portable "electronic anesthesiologist" that is engineered and designed to automate and standardize the collection of respiratory rate in sedated animals.
Background:
Conducting safe surgical procedures in sedated animal subjects or patients requires monitoring of the animal's respiratory rate. For laboratory studies, the respiratory rate of the subject is typically measured by direct observation and counting by a laboratory technician, a time consuming task that is prone to human error. This device tracks the breath of sedated lab rats to ensure safe operating conditions for the animal and the surgeon.
Applications:
- Laboratory research animals
Advantages:
- Displays both the average and instantaneous breath rate of the animal via an onboard screen
- Calculates average breath rate by taking the rolling average of the previous 25 seconds of breath rate data
- Calculates instantaneous breath rate from the previous two breaths
- Device screen flashes and changes color if the animal's breath rate moves above or below a safe limit to alert the surgeon that the animal is in possible distress
- Inexpensive to produce
