Portable Air Quality Measurement Device for Asthma Inhalers

Smart Multisensory Attachment and Mapping System Provides Real-Time Air Quality Data

This asthma inhaler case device collects environmental data and coordinates with a centralized evaluation and mapping service to provide real-time air quality measurements at high resolution. Asthma is a common chronic condition in which inhaled substances can irritate the airways and trigger allergic reactions. It can also exacerbate other diseases and lead to hospitalizations. Among children, asthma is the main reason for missed school days. Select air quality monitoring stations are placed around the United States in areas with small populations. Though somewhat helpful, these stations are limited in the types of pollutants they can sense and the areas they can accurately monitor. They cannot identify ground-level air pollutants in densely populated areas that also pose a threat for people with asthma.

Researchers at the University of Florida have created a device for inhalers that gathers high-resolution local air quality data in real-time and transfers the calibrated data to an online mapping service for data dissemination. The tool measures the air-quality risk level of the local environment to determine appropriate medication dosage. It can produce higher-quality environmental data useful for planning any construction of infrastructure (buildings, paved roads, etc.) and for personal or public health decisions.

Application

Portable smart air quality sensors embedded in inhaler cases communicate with each other in a network to measure air pollutant levels at high resolution in the local environment.

Advantages

• Centrally evaluates ground-level pollutant measurements, providing real-time, high resolution, air quality data for a local environment
• Sends alerts of high-risk environmental conditions, helping patients make informed health decisions
• Communicates wirelessly, allowing for optimal data collection and easy access to air quality information
• Portable carrying case fits the shape of an inhaler and prevents accidental release of doses

Technology

The multisensory attachment case for asthma inhalers gather high-resolution, spatially, and temporally scaled air quality measurements. This information then transmits to a centralized mapping service that processes it into real-time, actionable environmental data. Sensors in the inhaler attachments measure local levels of O3, PM2.5, NO2, temperature, and relative humidity at their various locations. The devices share the air quality data with patients wirelessly in real-time for precise dosing; they are battery charged and come with a carrying case.