July 26, 2022
Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology
Keio University
Yokohama National University
A research group primarily composed of Researcher Toshiya Takano and Group Leader Seitsu Shimono (Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University) of the Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (KISTEC), Assistant Professor Katsunori Masaki of the Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, and Pharmacist Hideo Nakata of the Department of Pharmacy, Keio University Hospital, has developed an inhalation action monitoring device for use with drug inhalers in the treatment of bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Key Points
Determines whether inhalation was performed correctly by using an inertial measurement unit to detect the opening and closing angle of the cover and the tilt of the inhaler during use.
Can be used without complex setup by simply attaching it to existing drug inhalers.
Enables observation of the user's inhaler technique even in situations where a doctor or pharmacist is not present, such as when used at home.
Drug inhalers are widely used for the treatment of respiratory diseases such as bronchial asthma. Inhalation therapy, where medication is administered using an inhaler, is a highly effective treatment method. However, it is said that more than half of patients do not inhale the medication satisfactorily due to improper use, making detailed, in-person guidance from healthcare professionals such as doctors and pharmacists essential. This device uses an inertial measurement unit to detect actions such as opening the cap and tilting the device during drug inhalation, making it possible to determine whether the inhalation was performed correctly. Using this device enables the monitoring of a patient's inhaler usage, which is expected to reduce the burden on healthcare professionals and improve the therapeutic effects of inhaled medications.
The results of this research were published in the online edition of the international academic journal IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics on June 5, 2022 (JST).
For the full press release, please see below.