Patent ID: 8406884

Claim:
A monitoring and therapy system comprising: an in-the-ear canal probe configured to be disposed within the ear canal of a subject and configured to non-invasively sense at least one physiological parameter of the subject with at least one sensor, wherein the at least one physiological parameter is indicative of respiration cessation of the subject, and wherein the in-the-ear canal probe includes an inflatable balloon configured to position the at least one sensor proximate to tissue within the ear canal upon inflation, the at least one sensor operatively coupled to a surface of the balloon; an analyzing device operatively coupled to the in-the-ear canal probe, wherein the analyzing device is configured to analyze the at least one sensed physiological parameter and configured to determine respiration cessation of the subject based on the analysis; and a stimulating device configured to stimulate the subject with the in-the-ear canal probe to mitigate the respiration cessation of the subject, wherein the stimulating is based on the determination and includes providing an audible message to the subject without waking the subject, wherein the audible message reminds the subject to breath and/or turn on a side of the subject.