Sibel Health has teamed up with Maruho to jointly develop and bring to market the ADAM AI wearable, which aims to help lessen the scratching for individuals suffering from itchy skin.
Understanding Itchy Skin
Itchy skin, medically known as atopic dermatitis or eczema, triggers a strong desire to scratch, known as pruritus, and can stem from various factors like genetics, bacteria, and allergies. Many people struggle with uncontrollable scratching, even during their sleep. While topical creams and medications can help manage eczema, they may also carry harmful side effects.
The ADAM Sensor
Sibel has produced the single-use ADAM sensor to track different health metrics for research purposes. These metrics include body position, cough frequency, heart rate, respiratory rate, sleep quality, skin temperature, and instances of scratching.
Enhancements to the Device
Recently, the company incorporated a rotating mass motor that generates 1.4 G of vibratory force at 10,000 RPM into the ADAM sensor, enabling the wearable to give haptic feedback. To perfect the vibration settings, 20 participants were surveyed to choose their preferred option from 19 different profiles, ultimately favoring a strong, 1-second alert. The ADAM wearable was then updated to gather data at 1,666 Hz using the internal accelerometer, allowing for real-time data analysis to train a convolutional recurrent neural network (CRNN). The AI underwent training and validation for precision. Additional signal processing and clustering methods were applied to minimize false positives in scratch detection.
Study Results
In a preliminary study published in JAMA Dermatology, researchers monitored 10 patients who wore the haptic ADAM device on the back of their dominant hand for 104 nights. With the haptic feedback feature activated, the ADAM wearable led to a 28% decrease in total scratch events and a 50% reduction in scratching duration per hour during sleep when scratching occurred.
Future Directions
The precise mechanism by which the vibrations help curb scratching remains uncertain, but the partnership with Maruho aims to explore this while also commercializing the ADAM. For those who find themselves scratching at night, they might consider using a balm like one available on Amazon as they await the wearable’s arrival.
Sibel Health, Sibel Health news release, AI-Enabled Wearable Devices and Nighttime Scratching in Mild Atopic Dermatitis
Sibel Health’s AI-based wearable decreases nighttime scratching for itchy patients.
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