Company designs tech for affordable CPAPs
At least 25 million adults in the United States suffer from sleep apnea, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. One Los Gatos company recently released new technology to help ease restless nights.
Sleep apnea is a relatively common sleep disorder that interrupts breathing during sleep, causing disrupted nights and leading to drowsiness during the day. The disorder is commonly treated using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device.
Superior Sensor Technology, located at 103 Cooper Court, announced late last month that it had developed a new type of sensor to use in CPAP and other machines used to help regulate breathing during sleep. The sensor combines two types of technology — differential to regulate the air flow and a gauge to regulate air pressure — into one unit, making the design simpler to manufacture and use.
Company officials said the new sensor is one of the most accurate on the market, with a margin of error much lower than industry standards. The streamlining also means consolidated costs and a potential boost to manufacturers’ bottom lines.
“Our sensor technology potentially could reduce the cost of sleep apnea devices, making these devices available to a broader economic group of people suffering from sleeping disorders, especially in Third World countries,” said Jim Finch, CEO and co-founder of Superior Sensor Technology.
Founded in 2016, the company designs the sensors and then contracts with manufacturers to build them. Superior Sensor Technology then programs and tests the technology at its Los Gatos headquarters, according to Finch.
Because sleep apnea is more common among older people, demographic shifts have led to upticks in the disorder’s prevalence. According to a 2017 report by the United Nations, the world’s population of people over 80 years old is expected to triple by 2050.
The market for sleep apnea solutions is growing in step with the rise in the disorder’s prevalence. A news release from Superior Sensor Technology noted that there is currently a $3.7 billion market for the devices, a figure that’s only expected to grow in the coming years.
“The rapid increase in sleep disorders has put demands on manufacturers to develop cost-competitive, technologically advanced sleep apnea products for a geographically diverse, worldwide population,” Finch said in the news release. “Our new CP Series offers manufacturers a unique solution to optimize performance, reliability and system cost for this competitive, fast-growing market.”
But the market size isn’t the only reason the Los Gatos company chose to use its sensor technology in the fight against sleep apnea. Finch said the disorder can affect people of all genders and ages — including infants — and can be made worse by other factors like age and weight.
“This is a very serious health issue, and we believe that our proprietary technology can make huge positive impacts globally,” Finch said.
Superior Sensor Technology also has developed products for other markets, including industrial and heating, ventilation and air conditioning. In the medical field, the company has developed products for ventilators and spirometers — a device that measures lung performance—in addition to its sleep apnea products.