When we think of implementing technology on ourselves, we think of chips in our brains and prosthetics that integrate into our very nerves. It almost feels like this future is inevitable, albeit distant from us. What if incorporating technology into our bodies was less invasive? One example of a less invasive yet still powerful technology is already here. A pneumorator is a breathing sensor akin to a sticker that could change how we monitor breathing and, by extension, save lives.
Are pneumorators just sticky sensors?
Wearable breathing sensors have already been pivotal in the past few years. With research sped up by the pandemic alongside advanced AI capabilities to analyze breathing patterns, it was clear this would be a new frontier. This is especially true since sensors are generally cheap, and anyone can use an Arduino or similar hardware. Now we’re seeing the fruit ripen. Traditional breathing monitoring methods, like manually counting breaths, can be time-consuming and error-prone. Described the first of its kind, the Pneumorator is a wearable textile-based “sticker” device that can monitor breathing accurately up to 98.68% in a noninvasive way and with a low production cost.
The Pneumorator can track a patient’s breathing over long periods and under changing conditions. It can then notify professionals if a patient’s breathing is unusual. According to researcher Dr. Harry Akerman, breathing is often the first parameter to change ahead of blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. Rapid interventions made possible by these stickers can make a difference.
Humans and IoT
Sensors are devices we use to produce an output we can act on from environmental changes. For example, sensors could help detect water leaks or monitor your plants. The last decades of quick development in this area led to the concept of IoT (Internet of Things). However, the general idea of the IoT is missing something. While most sensors have focused on external factors, our bodies also have sensors. From heart rate sensors to fitness and sleep trackers, and with the possibility of the Pneumorator, we are already close to being a part of the wider IoT.
Before you go: Track Your Metabolic Fitness with Levels
The future of healthcare may indeed evolve through implants like Neuralink. Yet the Pneumorator shows how small, noninvasive tech, like stickers, can have a profound impact, too. Who knows, maybe instead of the sci-fi future we imagine with integrated chips and bionic add-ons, it will be more about what tech stickers you attach to yourself.
Photo credit: The feature image is symbolic and has been done by Christopher Isak with Midjourney for TechAcute. The image in the body of the article has been shared by Southampton Centre for Biomedical Research in a press release.
Source: University of Southampton / Nature
