I-Corps: Pediatric Breath Practice Spirometry Device

University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a product designed to enable healthcare technicians to practice spirometry testing with children. Respiratory therapists and pulmonologists working with pediatric patients will gain an increased understanding of patient progress and improve the accuracy of their diagnoses. This medical device may also be used for geriatric populations as a complete spirometry test is often required as part of both preoperative and postoperative medical protocols in in-patient and out-patient medical facilities. This I-Corps project is seeks to develop practical and convenient tools for respiratory therapists and pulmonologists. Assessment of lung disorders and other respiratory ailments often includes Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) and the most common type of PFT is spirometry. In order to complete spirometry testing, the patient must be able to exhale for six seconds with no backflow of air. Many children are unable to complete the test properly, so they are sent home with a mouthpiece and nose-clip to practice. This practice method is ineffective because there is no way to monitor the patient’s progress. The proposed innovation allows parents to monitor the child’s learning progress and ensure that the children are practicing correctly. The new technology is a hand-held airflow monitoring device designed specifically for pediatric use. The device consists of a small cylindrical tube with a mouthpiece and internal electronic components that deliver audio and visual cues to the user. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.