Breath controlled Computer Game Controller for Asthma Therapy

描述(由申请人提供)：哮喘引起的呼吸道症状的波动性在很大程度上与这种疾病中呼吸道阻塞的动态性质有关。早期发现呼吸道阻塞的能力有助于哮喘患者控制症状，决定何时服用吸入性药物。相反，呼吸内感觉受损通常会延误治疗，并阻碍临床医生对吸入性药物的决定。我们开发了呼吸控制视频游戏，作为慢性肺病患者的肺康复手段。我们在囊性纤维症患者中使用这种方法的经验表明，青少年不仅喜欢在玩眼睛呼吸协调任务时使用肺活计(一种传统上用于测量吸气和呼气流速的设备)作为视频游戏控制器，而且他们还学习提高呼吸意识。这一发现鼓励我们应用呼吸控制视频游戏的方法来解决哮喘患者呼吸内感觉受损的问题。在这里，我们建议进一步开发呼吸控制视频游戏的硬件和软件，这些游戏将作为哮喘和其他慢性呼吸道疾病呼吸治疗的辅助工具。呼吸控制视频游戏的编程将结合呼吸生物反馈教育过程，通过向玩家呈现他们自己的呼吸模式的调制表示来促进呼吸意识(呼吸生物反馈系统和方法，美国专利正在申请中)。我们将设计并制作一款仿照数字肺活量计用于临床诊断的呼吸游戏控制器。通过这个项目创造的硬件和软件资产将用于呼吸控制视频游戏的效果的现场试验，该试验还可能有利地影响哮喘相关的生活质量，以及吸入性药物自我给药的技术和坚持。通过在呼吸控制游戏中嵌入明确的教育信息，我们预计这种方法将在几个层面上促进自我管理和有效利用卫生保健资源。该项目还将为成人慢性阻塞性肺疾病呼吸控制视频游戏的研究提供基础。 公共卫生相关性：对哮喘症状的误解是数百万患有这种慢性呼吸道疾病的人的共同问题。由于未知的原因，那些患有最危险的哮喘的人最难感觉到他们呼吸道阻塞的严重程度。在这个项目中，我们开发了一种新颖的“呼吸控制视频游戏”的技术，它将提高哮喘患者对症状和呼吸健康的认识。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The volatility of respiratory symptoms due to asthma is related in large measure to the dynamic nature of airway obstruction in this disease. The ability to detect airway obstruction early respiratory interoception helps individuals with asthma to manage their symptoms, to decide when to take inhaled medications. Impaired respiratory interoception, conversely, commonly delays treatment and impedes clinicians decisions regarding inhaled medicine. We developed breath-controlled video games as a means of pulmonary rehabilitation for individuals with chronic lung disease. Our experience with this approach in patients with cystic fibrosis shows that adolescents not only enjoy using a spirometer (a device traditionally used to measure inspiratory and expiratory flow rates) as a video game controller when playing an eye breath coordination task but they also learn to improve breath awareness. This finding has encouraged us to apply the breath-controlled video game approach to the problem of impaired respiratory interoception in asthma. Here we propose to further develop hardware and software for breath-controlled videogames that will function as an adjunct to respiratory therapy in asthma as well as for other chronic respiratory diseases. Programming of breath-controlled video games will incorporate a breath biofeedback educational process that promotes breath awareness by presenting the player with modulated representations of their own breathing patterns (Breath Biofeedback System and Method, US Patent pending). We will design and prototype a breath-game controller modeled after digital spirometers used for clinical diagnosis. Hardware and software assets created through this project will be used in a field trial of the effect of breath- controlled video games may also favorably impact asthma-related quality of life, as well as technique in, and adherence to, self-administration of inhaled medications. By embedding explicit educational messages within breath-controlled games, we expect this approach to promote self-management and effective use of health care resources on several levels. This project will also provide a foundation for studies of breath-controlled video games for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Mis-perception of asthma symptoms represents a common problem for millions of individuals who suffer this chronic respiratory condition. For unknown reasons, those with the most dangerous kind of asthma have the most difficulty with sensing the severity of their airway obstruction. In this project we develop technology for a novel, "breath-controlled video game" that will improve awareness of symptoms, and of respiratory wellness, in people with asthma.