Devices for diagnosing sleep apnea or other conditions and related systems and methods

Abstract

A system includes a sensor device having a body configured to be inserted into an airway of a patient and one or more sensors mounted in or on the body. The one or more sensors are configured to collect sensor data associated with the airway of the patient. The system also includes a signal analyzer configured to analyze the sensor data. The one or more sensors could include one or more microphones. The signal analyzer could identify volume and/or pitch characteristics of the sensor data, perform pattern recognition to identify one or more patterns using the volume and/or pitch characteristics, and use the one or more patterns to identify a type, a location, and/or a degree of airway obstruction. This could be done, for instance, to determine if the patient suffers from obstructive sleep apnea or other condition that affects his or her airway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a body configured to be inserted into an airway of a patient; and   one or more sensors mounted in or on the body, the one or more sensors configured to collect sensor data associated with the airway of the patient.