A Dual Measurement and Stimulating System to Monitor and Promote NNS

The present paper presents a dual system that can be used to measure and to generate non-nutritive sucking (NNS) signals. The NNS measurement is based on a pressure sensor that is pneumatically connected to a silicone pacifier. By its turn, the NNS stimulator is based on a miniature pump and a miniature electro-valve that are operated by opposite phased signals to produce the pulsed pressure signal that is pneumatically applied to the silicone pacifier. The paper highlights some specific issues related with the calibration of the pneumatic signal measuring chain. Processing and wireless transmission capabilities are provided by a low-cost solution based on a microcontroller. Calibration and experimental results are also included in the paper.