Cellphone App For Measuring Respiratory Rates In Record Time
Cellphone App For Measuring Respiratory Rates In Record Time
A new cellphone app accurately measures respiratory rate in children in just 10 seconds. This is 6 times faster than the standard manual method. This is technology at its best. The app has a lot of use for children who are suffering from pneumonia, asthma or other respiratory diseases.
Researchers a the Child and Family Research Institute at the BC Children's Hospital and the University of British Columbia have developed this app called R-Rate which can measure the respiratory rate with accuracy at an average of 9.9 seconds.
Health care workers currently measure the respiratory rate by counting the patient's breath for 60 seconds using the stopwatch. Mobile technology can now change the way health care is administered. This is more so in rural areas and developing countries where access to medical devices is limited. This study was conducted by Dr. Walter Karlen who co-led the study with Dr. Heng Gan.
This app ensures that health care workers can use fewer resources faster and with more accurate measurements. This helps them to make clinical judgments and decisions faster. Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children across the globe according to the WHO.
Timely and accurate diagnosis is needed to save children from such diseases. Medical interventions can also be better designed if diagnosis is facilitated. R-Rate enables workers to measure respiratory rate by tapping on the touchscreen every time a child inhales. Along with a calculation of the rate of inhalations, the app also provides animation of a breathing baby which serves as a comparison with the breathing patient.
The phone's capabilities of computing, touchscreen and vibrational feedback has led to faster measurements of the respiratory rate, according to Karlen. Researchers have collected data from around 30 subjects using this app while studying the videos of children breathing at different rates.
An algorithm has enabled this app to yield accurate measurements in the smallest amount of time possible. The next stage of the study involves improving the diagnosis of pneumonia in low resource settings through a combination of this app with the Phone Oximeter.
The Phone Oximeter provides non-invasive measurements of blood oxygen levels with the aid of a light sensor and a mobile phone. The research was published in the journal PLOS One. This app can also improve the ease with which health care professionals and doctors can monitor medical conditions.
Technology can change the world. Scientists and researchers have the insights and innovations that can save lives and help mankind. Apps such as these can make a dent where conventional methods fail.
