“Breathing disorders are highly prevalent in the developed and developing world, with one in twelve people in the UK currently receiving treatment for asthma,” said Dr. David Birch, of the University of Surrey’s Aerodynamics and Environmental Flow research group. “The diagnosis and monitoring of respiratory diseases is key to proper treatment and we have now developed a simple, low-cost and non-intrusive diagnostic solution that will make doctors lives easier across the world.”
That solution is a new twist on a traditional spirometer, a device that measures the flow of air entering and exiting the lungs. The sneezometer, as its name suggests, is fast enough to measure the speed and force of a sneeze, which “is something that no other commercially available system can do as inexpensively or effectively,” according to the research team. A device that fast and sensitive can detect the tiniest fluctuations in the flow of breath, fluctuations that could point to a respiratory illness.
“The ability to measure the sensitivity of airflow detection and pull out other information from single breath is very interesting from both a research and clinical perspective,” said Dr. Manasi Nandi, Senior Lecturer in Integrative Pharmacology at King’s College London. “This is currently not picked out with conventional tests, and we have already been using it to mimic testing of asthma.”
“The spirometer was initially developed to address a tricky flow-measurement problem, but a chance discussion with a health professional revealed the potential for the idea in the healthcare field,” said Dr. Birch.
Once the team realized the technology’s potential for healthcare, the device was developed very quickly. A functional prototype was created within three weeks, with most of it being 3D printed around the electronics.
“By (using 3D printing) we’re able to form all of the internal ductwork, all the little pipes and channels, into the plastic itself, which allows us to make it much smaller,” explained Dr. Birch.
Once the prototype was developed, the researchers applied for – and received – IAA funding. With help from the South East Health Technologies Alliance (SEHTA), the team has produced ten of the devices, which are currently being trialed at King’s College Hospital in London. They’re hoping that the sneezometer could enter full clinical service as early as 2018. Below, you can see Dr. Birch explain the details of the device and what they hope to accomplish with it. Discuss in the 3D Printed Sneezometer forum over at 3DPB.com.