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Smerina DR, Pearlman AM. The Intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Wearable Devices, and Sexual Medicine. Curr Urol Rep 2024; 26:14. [PMID: 39392527 DOI: 10.1007/s11934-024-01244-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/24/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of our review paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current technologies in artificial intelligence and wearable devices dedicated to sexual health. RECENT FINDINGS Currently, AI-powered technologies are enhancing our understanding of reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections, and facilitating empathetic education and outreach to diverse populations. Additionally, innovative wearable devices are providing insights into men's erectile health, addressing ejaculatory concerns, and exploring women's orgasms in relation to pelvic floor muscles and clitoral blood flow. The field of sexual health technology is rapidly expanding, with recent innovations transforming our understanding of sexual health. As technology progresses, it is crucial to address significant ethical considerations to protect users, particularly due to the sensitive nature of the data involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayna R Smerina
- Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Amy M Pearlman
- Prime Institute, 475 Biltmore Way, Suite 314, Coral Gables, FL, 33134, USA.
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2
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Kim J, So B, Heo Y, So H, Jo JK. Penile Erection Morphometry: The Need for a Novel Approach. World J Mens Health 2024; 42:667-680. [PMID: 38164024 PMCID: PMC11439814 DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.230179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
For many males, sexual function holds significant value in determining their quality of life. Despite the importance of male erectile function, no quantitative method to measure it accurately is currently available. Standardized assessment methods such as RigiScan™, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), and the stamp test are used to evaluate sexual function, but those methods cannot repetitively and quantitatively measure erectile function. Only direct measurement can quantitatively assess the shape of an erect penis. This paper presents the essential requirements for developing an ideal measurement method for penile erection. It also introduces current approaches for diagnosing male sexual function and reviews ongoing research to quantitatively measure erectile function. The paper further summarizes and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of each method with respect to the essential requirements. Finally, the paper discusses the future direction toward the development of Penile Erection Morphometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jongwon Kim
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Byeongchan So
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yongki Heo
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hongyun So
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Jung Ki Jo
- Department of Medical and Digital Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Urology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
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3
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Wang X, Wang R, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Wu X, Luo Z, Chang Y, Zhang X, Pan T. A wearable adaptive penile rigidity monitoring system for assessment of erectile dysfunction. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2024; 10:131. [PMID: 39300065 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-024-00721-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent type of sexual dysfunction, and continuous monitoring of penile tumescence and rigidity during spontaneous nocturnal erections is crucial for its diagnosis and classification. However, the current clinical standard device, limited by its active mechanical load, is bulky and nonwearable and strongly interferes with erections, which compromises both monitoring reliability and patient compliance. Here, we report a wearable adaptive rigidity monitoring (WARM) system that employs a measurement principle without active loads, allowing for the assessment of penile tumescence and rigidity through a specifically designed elastic dual-ring sensor. The dual-ring sensor, comprising two strain-sensing rings with distinct elastic moduli, provides high resolution (0.1%), robust mechanical and electrical stability (sustaining over 1000 cycles), and strong interference resistance. An integrated flexible printed circuit (FPC) collects and processes sensing signals, which are then transmitted to the host computer via Bluetooth for ED assessment. Additionally, we validated the WARM system against the clinical standard device using both a penile model and healthy volunteers, achieving high consistency. Furthermore, the system facilitates the continuous evaluation of penile erections during nocturnal tumescence tests with concurrent sleep monitoring, demonstrating its ability to minimize interference with nocturnal erections. In conclusion, the WARM system offers a fully integrated, wearable solution for continuous, precise, and patient-friendly measurement of penile tumescence and rigidity, potentially providing more reliable and accessible outcomes than existing technologies. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent sexual dysfunction, and continuous monitoring of penile tumescence and rigidity during spontaneous nocturnal erections is crucial for its diagnosis and classification. However, the current clinical standard device, limited by its active mechanical load, is bulky, nonwearable, and creates pronounced interference with erections, which compromises both monitoring reliability and patient compliance. Here, we report a wearable adaptive rigidity monitoring (WARM) system (Fig. 1a) that employs a measurement principle without active loads (Fig. 1b), allowing for the assessment of penile tumescence and rigidity through a specifically designed elastic dual-ring sensor. The dual-ring sensor, comprising two strain-sensing rings with distinct elastic moduli, provides high resolution (0.1%), robust mechanical and electrical stability (sustaining over 1000 cycles), and strong interference resistance. Additionally, we validate the WARM system against the clinical standard device using both a penile model and healthy volunteers, achieving high consistency. Furthermore, the system facilitates the continuous evaluation of penile erections during nocturnal tumescence tests, with concurrent sleep monitoring, demonstrating its ability to minimize interference with nocturnal erections (Fig. 1c). In conclusion, the WARM system offers a fully integrated, wearable solution for continuous, precise, and patient-friendly measurement of penile tumescence and rigidity, potentially providing more reliable and accessible outcomes than those from existing technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyang Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
- School of Engineering Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Ruojiang Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
- School of Engineering Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Yuyang Zhang
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - You Wu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Xu Wu
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Zihao Luo
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Yu Chang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Xiansheng Zhang
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Tingrui Pan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China.
- School of Engineering Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
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Trip EJ, Torenvlied HJ, Elzevier HW, Pelger RCM, Beck JJH. Shedding light on night-time erections: Determining the feasibility of nocturnal erection detection with penile transdermal light reflection of haemoglobin. BJUI COMPASS 2024; 5:837-844. [PMID: 39323922 PMCID: PMC11420100 DOI: 10.1002/bco2.410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Utilizing penile saturation and temperature measurements presents a promising avenue for the development of an innovative sensor system aimed at nocturnal erection detection. This study aims to determine the feasibility of erection detection with light reflection of haemoglobin (LRH), as a precursor for penile saturation measurements, as well as penile temperature by comparison with simultaneous overnight RigiScan measurements. Materials and Methods This is a proof-of-concept observational study on 10 healthy volunteers with a cross sectional design. A penile transdermal haemoglobin and temperature sensor was developed to measure penile LRH through real-time monitoring with receiving photodiodes and emitting light-emitting diode (LED). Besides statistical analysis on LRH, temperature and RigiScan data, a visual assessment was done to determine detectability of changes in the LRH and temperature course during the RigiScan-annotated erections. Results A total of 40 nocturnal erections from 10 healthy volunteers were annotated with the RigiScan. The LRH values significantly increase during a nocturnal erection (p < 0.01) and penile temperature (p < 0.01). The largest elevation of temperature was seen in the last erection, with an increase of 0.94°C. The corrected temperature shows an increase of 1.29°C in the last erection. Furthermore, visual detectability was feasible for 80% of the erections with LRH values and 90% with the temperature output. Conclusion Penile LRH and temperature have the potential to serve as an alternative methodology for nocturnal erection detection compared with the currently applied circumference and rigidity measurements. This is an important step in the development of a patient-friendly and modernized tool for erectile dysfunction diagnostics. An improved sensor should be developed to allow for calculation of saturation percentage from LRH values. In combination with penile temperature measurements, this allows for conduction of further validity studies to work towards translation into clinical practice for non-invasive ED diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien J Trip
- Department of Urology Leiden University Medical Centre Leiden The Netherlands
- Department of Urology St. Antonius Hospital Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Hille J Torenvlied
- Department of Urology Leiden University Medical Centre Leiden The Netherlands
- Department of Urology St. Antonius Hospital Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Henk W Elzevier
- Department of Urology Leiden University Medical Centre Leiden The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Decision Making Leiden University Medical Centre Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Rob C M Pelger
- Department of Urology Leiden University Medical Centre Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Jack J H Beck
- Department of Urology St. Antonius Hospital Utrecht The Netherlands
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Schardein JN, Gross K. Nocturnal penile tumescence devices: past, present and future. Int J Impot Res 2023:10.1038/s41443-023-00789-z. [PMID: 37950053 DOI: 10.1038/s41443-023-00789-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Erectile function is an important part of men's health that can significantly impact quality of life. Naturally occurring nighttime erections experienced by men throughout their lifespan provides insight into penile health as well as overall health. Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) and nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) devices that can non-invasively evaluate the presence and quality of erections can have valuable diagnostic and clinical utility. Early devices have several limitations that limit their current use. New, wearable devices have promising applications for the evaluation of erectile function over time. Continued advancements in this technology have the potential to render future generations of these devices as invaluable tools that are useful for both men and healthcare professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelli Gross
- Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Yin J, Xu J, Ren TL. Recent Progress in Long-Term Sleep Monitoring Technology. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:395. [PMID: 36979607 PMCID: PMC10046225 DOI: 10.3390/bios13030395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sleep is an essential physiological activity, accounting for about one-third of our lives, which significantly impacts our memory, mood, health, and children's growth. Especially after the COVID-19 epidemic, sleep health issues have attracted more attention. In recent years, with the development of wearable electronic devices, there have been more and more studies, products, or solutions related to sleep monitoring. Many mature technologies, such as polysomnography, have been applied to clinical practice. However, it is urgent to develop wearable or non-contacting electronic devices suitable for household continuous sleep monitoring. This paper first introduces the basic knowledge of sleep and the significance of sleep monitoring. Then, according to the types of physiological signals monitored, this paper describes the research progress of bioelectrical signals, biomechanical signals, and biochemical signals used for sleep monitoring. However, it is not ideal to monitor the sleep quality for the whole night based on only one signal. Therefore, this paper reviews the research on multi-signal monitoring and introduces systematic sleep monitoring schemes. Finally, a conclusion and discussion of sleep monitoring are presented to propose potential future directions and prospects for sleep monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaju Yin
- School of Integrated Circuits, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology (BNRist), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiandong Xu
- School of Integrated Circuits, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology (BNRist), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Tian-Ling Ren
- School of Integrated Circuits, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Beijing National Research Center for Information Science and Technology (BNRist), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Center for Flexible Electronics Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Mills DK, Nestorova GG. Biosensor Development and Innovation in Healthcare and Medical Applications. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:2717. [PMID: 36904921 PMCID: PMC10007022 DOI: 10.3390/s23052717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The pandemic necessitated a change to the historical diagnostics model [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- David K. Mills
- The School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
- Molecular Science and Nanotechnology, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
| | - Gergana G. Nestorova
- The School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
- Molecular Science and Nanotechnology, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
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