Jun Chen, an assistant professor of bioengineering at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, has received a young investigator grant from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. The two-year, $70,000 grant will support the development of a smart bedsheet designed to track sleep disturbance, which can be an early sign of depression.
The smart bedsheet can help detect potential health issues that affect sleep by recording users’ body movements as well as changes in heart rate and breathing patterns during sleep. This methodology is affordable and less disruptive to normal sleep patterns compared to similar technologies such as smartwatches or bed sensors, according to Chen.
Chen leads the Wearable Bioelectronics Research Group, which focuses on nanotechnology and bioelectronics for energy, sensing and therapeutic applications in the form of smart textiles, wearables and body area networks. He joined the engineering school’s faculty in 2019.
Read the full story about Chen’s award on the engineering school’s website.
