A Wireless Intra-Oral Device for Respiratory and Cardiovascular Monitoring in Sport

Data acquisition in sports is pivotal for enhancing athletic performance, with quantitative analysis increasingly regarded as the most effective way to refine training protocols. Traditional methods for real-Time respiratory and cardiovascular monitoring during physical activities often involve cumbersome, lab-bound instruments, which restrict their use in dynamic settings. Moreover, the currently available technologies are sensitive to motion artifacts, which are prominent during sports activities.To overcome these limitations, we have developed a discreet intra-oral device that enables wireless monitoring of respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels. This device incorporates a pressure sensor for respiratory rate measurement, a photoplethysmogram sensor for heart rate as well as blood oxygenation monitoring, and a 3-Axis gyroscope and accelerometer for movement analysis. All sensors are integrated into a customized intra-oral retainer, positioned on the roof of the palate to minimize eliminate artifacts and allow for direct measurement of respiratory parameters.The data is presented on a custom-developed user-interface, enabling a quantitative presentation of the measured vitals. In this paper, we present on the device design and a preliminary proof-of-concept under various breathing conditions. Our results demonstrate the potential of the developed intra-oral device for user-friendly monitoring of respiratory and cardiac parameters in dynamic sports settings.