A team of researchers from the Institute of Intelligent Machines of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) successfully developed the first engineering prototype of the respiratory energy metabolism tester (IIM-MC-100) in China.

This tester has passed the validation and verification of the Anhui Institute of Food and Drug Control recently. The team has reached an agreement with two provincial hospitals, Anhui Provincial Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, to carry out clinical trials and research on the intelligent decision-making model of nutrition support.

In the coming research, IIM-MC-100 will collect a large sample of clinical patient metabolic data. By tracking and studying the impact of different energy supplement prescription on the disease, it will build an accurate assessment model of clinical patients' nutrition requirements and improve the level of clinical personalized nutritional support.

"We have spent six years on this project," said Prof. MA Zuchang, leader of the team, "this prototype IIM-MC-100 overcomes the serialized core technologies including simulation of sample gas mixing process, balance of gas path pressure, and response-time compensation and others." According to Prof. MA, more than 13 core invention patents are included in this project.

With the hood to collect patient expiration gas conveniently, IIM-MC-100 is able to accurately measure the energy metabolism rate and metabolism substrate consumption of clinical patients. Based on precise control of sensor temperature and gas-flow speed, the oxygen concentration detection accuracy of IIM-MC-100 has reached the international advanced level.

The first engineering prototype of the respiratory energy metabolism tester (IIM-MC-100) (Image by WANG Yuan)

Working process of respiratory energy metabolism tester (IIM-MC-100). (Image by WANG Yuan)