# SCH: A Novel Bias-mitigated Multimodal Oxygen Monitor

> **NIH NIH R01** · WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE · 2024 · $284,115

## Abstract

Annually, ∼300,000 neonates are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the U.S., mostly 
due to respiratory distress. After a successful medical treatment in the NICU, earlier discharge to a stable 
home life could improve the chance of survival for neonates. However, the outpatient management of 
babies with fragile respiratory status is challenging in the absence of reliable remote monitoring devices 
suitable for use at home. Due to the small form factor and ease of use, contemporary home monitoring 
devices deploy sensors measuring SpO2, the saturation of hemoglobin bound to oxygen. Nevertheless, 
accurate assessment of oxygenation is complicated and not possible with only one parameter. Therefore, 
in clinical practice, invasive blood gas measurements - including partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), which 
is the free dissolved oxygen (not bound to hemoglobin) - are not entirely replaced with SpO2. PaO2 is an 
essential cardio-respiratory measurement and the direct indication of lung effectiveness. A direct
noninvasive method of assessing PaO2 is PtcO2, oxygen gas that diffuses through the skin. Creating an 
ability to sense two respiratory parameters (PtcO2 and SpO2) with one wearable is unique and superior to 
the current practice of measuring only SpO2, filling an important gap in miniaturization of the
transcutaneous blood gas monitors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10913629
- **Project number:** 5R01HL172293-02
- **Recipient organization:** WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Ulkuhan Guler
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $284,115
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10913629

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10913629, SCH: A Novel Bias-mitigated Multimodal Oxygen Monitor (5R01HL172293-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10913629. Licensed CC0.

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