News

Advanced Brain Monitoring Receives CE Mark for Apnea Risk Evaluation System (ARES) for In-Home Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea  
[Monday, February 14, 2005]

Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc. today announced that it received the CE Mark in the European Union for its Apnea Risk Evaluation System (ARES). With this CE Mark, Advanced Brain Monitoring can now market the ARES in the European Union. The ARES was cleared by the FDA in 2004. The patented ARES is an easy-to-apply, in-home system for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The ARES combines a miniaturized, battery-powered device to measure blood oxygen levels, pulse rate, snoring sounds, nasal pressure and head position/movement with a questionnaire to assess known risk factors. A multi-site clinical trial, including direct comparisons with laboratory testing and in-home studies on 280 participants, proved ARES was as accurate as the gold standard laboratory sleep study. View Press Release.

Advanced Brain Monitoring to Participate in 1st International Conference on Augmented Cognition  
[Thursday, July 21, 2005]

Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., is pleased to announce its participation in the 1st International Conference on Augmented Cognition held jointly with the 11th annual International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 22 to 27, 2005, at the Caesars Palace Hotel and Convention Center. The company will present findings from recent research on real-time EEG systems that monitor the brain’s electrical activity to detect fatigue, assess performance, and provide interactive feedback to the operator. View Press Release

Advanced Brain Monitoring Announces Participation in International Conference on Fatigue Management in Transportation Operations  
[Friday, August 12, 2005]

Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., is pleased to present its comprehensive program for addressing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in the workplace at the 2005 International Conference on Fatigue Management in Transportation Operations to be held in Seattle, Washington, from September 11 to 15, 2005, at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Towers.

“OSA is a highly prevalent disorder and an important preventable cause of accidents at work and on the road,” commented Dr. Philip Westbrook, Chief Medical Officer of Advanced Brain Monitoring. “Untreated OSA can result in daytime drowsiness, memory impairment, and increased risk for hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.” View Press Release

Study Published in CHEST Finds Apnea Risk Evaluation System an Accurate and Cost-effective Alternative to Polysomnography  
[Wednesday, October 26, 2005]

Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., today announced the Apnea Risk Evaluation System (ARES™) was proven accurate for screening and diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to the study “Description and Validation of the Apnea Risk Evaluation System: A Novel Method to Diagnose Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea in the Home” in the October 2005 issue of CHEST – The Cardiopulmonary and Critical Care Journal.

The multi-site study, funded by the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, was the largest of its kind validating an in-home system for the diagnosis of OSA, with 284 simultaneous in-lab polysomnography (PSG) and ARES studies and 187 comparisons of PSG with 2-night unattended in-home ARES studies. View Press Release

ADVANCED BRAIN MONITORING ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATION IN 1st INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AUGMENTED COGNITION

Company joins groundbreaking teams to present multiple applications of EEG technology

Carlsbad, CALIFORNIA, July 20, 2005 - Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., is pleased to announce its participation in the 1st International Conference on Augmented Cognition held jointly with the 11th annual International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 22 to 27, 2005, at the Caesars Palace Hotel and Convention Center. The company will present findings from recent research on real-time EEG systems that monitor the brain's electrical activity to detect fatigue, assess performance, and provide interactive feedback to the operator.

Technical papers to be presented by the Advanced Brain Monitoring team feature applications of the company’s EEG technology, including the B-Alert® drowsiness detection system, integrated technology to detect and respond to cognitive state changes during a Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control Simulation, and portable EEG monitoring systems designed for the mobile warfighter. These technologies will also be on display in the exhibit hall, and the Advanced Brain Monitoring team, in conjunction with Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories and Anthrotronix, will provide live demonstrations of the systems.

These presentations are based on research funded by grants from the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program on Improving Warfighter Information Intake Under Stress, as well as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., markets patented instrument systems that combine laboratory-level accuracy with the portability, ease of use, and low cost of consumer electronics. These systems can be used to diagnose sleep and neurological disease and assess alertness, verbal and spatial memory, and other cognitive states. Advanced Brain Monitoring systems applications include error detection, neurofeedback, training optimization, video game development, and fatigue management. These systems can be easily adapted to a wide variety of applications, including use by researchers, physicians, industrial and transportation companies, and consumers.

ADVANCED BRAIN MONITORING ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FATIGUE MANAGEMENT IN TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS

Company presents innovative technology to address a major concern in transportation industry

Carlsbad, CALIFORNIA, August 11, 2005 -Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., is pleased to present its comprehensive program for addressing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in the workplace at the 2005 International Conference on Fatigue Management in Transportation Operations to be held in Seattle, Washington, from September 11 to 15, 2005, at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Towers. 

“OSA is a highly prevalent disorder and an important preventable cause of accidents at work and on the road,” commented Dr. Philip Westbrook, Chief Medical Officer of Advanced Brain Monitoring. “Untreated OSA can result in daytime drowsiness, memory impairment, and increased risk for hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.”

The National Sleep Foundation estimates that over 18 million Americans have OSA and that 90% have not yet been diagnosed.  Untreated OSA patients are 3 to 7 times more likely to be involved in industrial and motor vehicle accidents, due to slower reaction times and impaired vigilance.

“Advanced Brain Monitoring is committed to providing state-of-the-art technologies that will improve workplace safety and productivity,” said Chris Berka, Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Brain Monitoring.  “We look forward to presenting our comprehensive solution to experts in the transportation industry.  Our products facilitate convenient, inexpensive, and accurate screening tools to identify those at risk, diagnose OSA, quantify impaired alertness, and monitor treatment efficacy.” 

Advanced Brain Monitoring’s exhibit will present a model program designed for the transportation and other safety-sensitive industries.  Chris Berka will also present data from a major transportation company in her presentation entitled, “Implementation Model for Identifying and Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Commercial Drivers.”  The model program includes Advanced Brain Monitoring’s innovative Apnea Risk Evaluation System (ARES™), an in-home OSA diagnostic, and the Alertness and Memory Profiler (AMP), which quantifies impairments in alertness and memory.  Funding for the development of these technologies was provided by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., is currently marketing patented instrument systems that combine laboratory-level accuracy with the portability, ease of use, and low cost of consumer electronics.  These systems can be used to diagnose sleep and neurological disease and assess alertness, memory, and other cognitive states.  These systems can be easily adapted to a wide variety of applications, including use by researchers, physicians, industrial and transportation companies, and consumers.

The 2005 International Conference on Fatigue Management is hosted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Safety Administration and Transport Canada.  For more information on the conference, visit http://www.engr.washington.edu/epp/fmto.

STUDY PUBLISHED IN CHEST – THE CARDIOPULMONARY AND CRITICAL CARE JOURNAL FINDS APNEA RISK EVALUATION SYSTEM AN ACCURATE AND COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO POLYSOMNOGRAPHY

Advanced Brain Monitoring’s in-home system for diagnosing sleep apnea proven highly accurate and reliable in studies performed by two independent sleep disorders centers

CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, October 26, 2005 – Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., today announced the Apnea Risk Evaluation System (ARES™) was proven accurate for screening and diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to the study “Description and Validation of the Apnea Risk Evaluation System: A Novel Method to Diagnose Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea in the Home” in the October 2005 issue of CHEST – The Cardiopulmonary and Critical Care Journal.

The multi-site study, funded by the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, was the largest of its kind validating an in-home system for the diagnosis of OSA, with 284 simultaneous in-lab polysomnography (PSG) and ARES studies and 187 comparisons of PSG with 2-night unattended in-home ARES studies. “After accounting for differences in patients’ sleep position, the ARES and PSG results were virtually identical,” commented Dr. Delmer Henninger, one of the study’s authors.

The ARES is a two-part system that includes a validated, brief clinical history Questionnaire to assess a patient’s risk level for OSA. Patients who are identified as high-risk by the Questionnaire then complete the ARES in-home study, which uses a wireless physiological recorder, the Unicorder, worn on the forehead during sleep. Patients are able to self-apply the Unicorder following simple written instructions. Responses to the ARES Questionnaire and automated analysis of the signals are available for the physician to review when diagnosing OSA.

“The percentage of our population with undiagnosed OSA is unacceptable,” stated Dr. Philip Westbrook, Chief Medical Officer of Advanced Brain Monitoring and Past President of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “Many people with undiagnosed OSA are driving trucks and buses or working in safety-sensitive positions. They may be avoiding diagnosis because they are unwilling to go to a sleep lab or unable to accept using CPAP, the most commonly prescribed treatment.

The ARES is being used in clinical studies to demonstrate the benefits of alternative therapies for OSA, including oral appliances, surgical implants, and pharmaceuticals. The ARES can be integrated into comprehensive treatment solutions, in which the system can be used to identify patients who are optimal candidates for alternative treatments and to document treatment effectiveness.

The ARES is FDA-cleared and is currently used in situations for which rapid, inexpensive screening is needed, such as for transportation workers or hospital patients preparing for general anesthesia. The ARES is also being used to study the prevalence of undiagnosed OSA in ex-NFL players.

Advanced Brain Monitoring markets patented instrument systems that combine laboratory-level accuracy with the portability, ease of use, and low cost of consumer electronics. These systems can be used to diagnose sleep and neurological disease, and to assess alertness, memory, and other cognitive states.

Reference:

Westbrook, PR, Levendowski, DJ, Cvetinovic, M, Zavora, T, Velimirovic, V, Henninger, D, Nicholson, D. Description and Validation of the Apnea Risk Evaluation System: A Novel Method to Diagnose Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea in the Home. Chest 2005; 128: 2166-2175.