This project is a multidisciplinary collaboration to build a novel wearable sensor which will be used to automate buprenorphine induction. The sensor (which will be worn on the upper arm, like an athletic band) will detect heart rate, electrodermal activity, movement and kin temperature. Those parameters will be used to quantify opioid withdrawal (similar to a COWS score) and to qualify how much improvement occurs after buprenorphine administration.
In the current phase, we are validating early prototypes of the device. This involves subjects coming to the medical school campus and wearing the prototype plus some additional gold standard devices (similar to a telemetry minor) while they take their daily buprenorphine doses.
Residents/students can assist during on campus participant visits (getting participants hooked up to sensors, collecting and storing sensor data, administering surveys). There may also be opportunities too collaborate with computer science/engineering co-investigators on data analysis/sensor design if there is particular interest. Most study activities in the current phase of the project are in person.