Portable, low-cost breathing test that works without hard blowing
Official title: Portable Low-Cost Pulmonary Forced Oscillation Technique Device
Funded at Koronis Biomedical Technologies Corporat · NIH-11180304 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, affordable device that measures airway resistance while you breathe normally, intended for people with asthma or other breathing problems who find spirometry difficult.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Koronis Biomedical Technologies Corporat NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $499,921 |
| NIH project number | 5SB1HL176360-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11180304 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include people with asthma, COPD, occupational lung exposures, or other airway symptoms who cannot perform reliable spirometry or need frequent home monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
People who need detailed spirometric volume measures for specific diagnoses or who do not have airway disease may not gain direct benefit from this device.
What this research studies
This project aims to bring a pocket-sized device to market that checks lung mechanics by applying gentle vibrations while you breathe normally. Unlike spirometry, which needs a forceful coached exhale, this forced oscillation technique requires no effort or special skill from the patient or operator. The team will design and build the hardware and software, refine the user interface, and test the device in clinics, workplaces, and home-like settings to compare results with standard lung tests. If validated, it would be offered for use in physician offices, occupational screening, and home monitoring.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the device could let people track lung function more easily at home or in the clinic without difficult breathing maneuvers, enabling earlier detection of worsening asthma or airway problems.
How similar studies have gone: Forced oscillation technique is an established, research-validated method for measuring airway resistance, but compact, low-cost consumer-oriented devices are relatively new and still being validated.
Where this research is happening
-
Koronis Biomedical Technologies Corporat
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lichter, Patrick — Koronis Biomedical Technologies Corporat
- Study coordinator: Lichter, Patrick
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.