Specialist-grade lung measurements to home use for chronic lung conditions: design for manufacture and clinical feasibility

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This is a project led by AMT, with co-applicant partner of CLCH NHS Trust, and with manufacturing SME sub-contractors. The solution tackles the major challenges associated with Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRD's).The project heavily involves stakeholders within the NHS and user inputs and aims to develop the Respicorder from an in-clinic prototype towards an at-home remote monitoring and self-management solution, through user-centric design and co-development with clinicians and patients.To generate a full understanding of lung performance, multiple measurements are required. No device currently combines these measurements, and current solutions are expensive or not appropriate for at-home use, for self-management or remote monitoring. CRD's currently have little or no effective solution for such pathways, leading to poor management and high levels of exacerbations (attacks), which in turn lead to expensive treatment costs and increased hospital admissions and emergency visits.The three main challenges are: (i) there is no gold standard measurement, (ii) there are daily changes in condition (comparable to diabetes), and (iii) there are dozens of condition subtypes requiring personalised treatment. Previously, it has not been possible to economically overcome these challenges, but they are surmountable.The Respicorder has proven its core technology and the next stages of progress are for extension towards a viable at-home-use product (manufacturing processes / costs and usability). The device is handheld, portable, and with daily home-use can identify respiratory disease subtypes and predict level of risk through an accompanying Respiratory Digital Hub (RDH). By supporting patients in this way, we can keep people out of hospital, managing their condition better, with more effective treatment.