If you sleep next to someone who snores, you know that endlessly moving and honking is not much fun … and that makes the snorer's life even worse. However, some students and physicians in Baltimore, Maryland, have created something that acts as an internal breathing band to help you breathe and snore less
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Called ASSISTANT, the company uses small reusable rings that insert into the nostril and open the septum. You insert them and remove them yourself with a small pair of forceps and they can survive sneezing and, one might assume, a good, hard midnight snoooorrrrrk. Patrick Byrne and Clayton Andrews have created the product and he recently won the Lemelson-MIT Student Award "Use it! Other members of the team include Melissa Austin, Talia Kirschbaum, Harrison Nguyen, Theo Lee and Eric Cao.
The team will soon launch a Kickstarter and study a round of seeds for manufacturing. The product, called N-Stent, costs 15 cents and will sell for about $ 4 a pair.
"The design is inspired by typical cartilage grafts used in functional rhinoplasty to improve nasal breathing.In essence, the device is a conical silicone stent consisting of two flexible bundles connecting two soft pads whose shape Closely following the complex intranasal nasal anatomy, "said Byrne." When it is deployed, a blister grabs the nasal septum and the other presses against the lateral nasal wall to dilate the passageway and the open stent. This expansion force comes from the two flexible beams that bend to provide a soft spring force while forming a light to adapt to the flow of air. "
The product slips into the nasal vestibule and to introduce and take it out, you can either use the simple applicator or stick it with your finger.
The team is excited about the possibilities, especially since it can help people without forcing them to have surgery.
"Although the mechanism of reversal of nasal obstruction is simple, there is no viable alternative to surgery for those struggling with nasal breathing while at the same time. Breathe Right bands lead this nasal dilator night market with annual revenues of $ 145 million, a market share of 80%, but experts believe a market opportunity is $ 250 million for a less invasive nasal obstruction treatment, "Byrne said.
"We have heard from dozens of surgeons who have undergone surgery to correct a nasal obstruction – with limited success and great expense – and hundreds of people who are reluctant to undergo surgery., At night, or During the exercise, this invention has the potential to radically change the standard of care for nasal obstruction and provide a practical and sensible solution to this widespread problem, "he said.
Look for this anti-snort-hork-honnnnking device in the coming months.