Lung disease is generally difficult to detect and only discovered after the symptoms worse. To check the condition of the lung, doctors generally use certain tools in the hospital. But now check the lungs can be done the easy way, that is breathed into the phone.
Researchers at the University of Washington create a model of the human respiratory tract and construct algorithms that can analyze breath echoes within the lungs. By the way, change the sound and resonance of disturbed air flow can be detected by an application.
This application is named SpiroSmart and can be downloaded for free. Unfortunately, just unlock Apple iPhone alias that could use it. iPhone has a pretty good microphone for voice recording and computational ability to deliver results immediately.
"There is a great need in the community to make the test lungs that is cheaper and more convenient. Others have made the smartphone application used by blowing. Shall we try to find out if we can also use the microphone that is already in the phone," said Shwetak Patel, professor of computer science and engineering University of Washington as reported txchnologist.com, Sunday (09/23/2012).
To determine the condition of the lung, doctors generally use a device called a spirometer. Some chronic lung diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis and chronic bronchitis can be detected by these tools. The way it works is that the incoming breathing air measured in the tube equipped with a small turbine.
To use, patients were asked to take a deep breath, then exhale as hard and as fast as possible. Spirometer will measure how much and how fast the exhaled breath. Reading results are used to tell the doctor if the patient's airways are narrowed or filled with mucus.
The researchers then airway model to replace the spirometer. By analyzing the frequency of the sound waves, lung conditions can be detected when the breath resonating.
"There is a resonance that occurs in a signal that tells how much blood flow through the trachea and vocal tract. Amount that is exactly what the doctor needs to know," said Patel.
Through tests on 52 people using the iPhone 4S and congenital microphone, SpiroSmart application found to have a 5.1% difference in accuracy as compared to regular spirometer.
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