APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SIMULATING INHALATION EFFORTS

摘要

An inhalation simulation system is provided for use with inhalers in particular breath-powered dry powder inhalers. The simulation system can recreate a patient's inhalation profile obtained with an inhaler adapted with a sensing and monitoring device for the detection of characteristic signals generated from the inhaler in use, which signals are transmitted to a computer with an algorithm which is configured to analyze the signals and generate new signals via a transmitter to actuate the inhalation simulation system component parts so that a subject's inhalation profile is replicated simultaneously or in real-time, or stored for later use. Methods of measuring the performance of inhalers are also provided.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first acoustic sensor in communication with a first breath-powered dry powder inhaler, the first sensor configured to monitor an inhalation maneuver of a patient and transmit a signal corresponding to the inhalation maneuver; a processing device comprising a microprocessor and a storage medium having an algorithm stored therein, the device configured to receive the signal from the first sensor and processing the signal using the algorithm to generate a data set that is analyzed, stored, printed, transmitted, and/or displayed; a controller that receives the data set and in turn controls a motor that is attached to a calibrated syringe pump that upon actuation by the controller generates a pressure differential in a second breath-powered dry powder inhaler that is attached to an anatomically correct artificial airway; a display in communication with the processing device and configured to graphically display both the inhalation maneuver and data collected as a result of the pressure differential, wherein the pressure differential is modeled after the inhalation maneuver.