The Development of a Spirometer with Pitot tube sensors

Abstract

An air pollution is a world-wide problem including with significant public health implications, particularly respiratory disease. Clinically evaluating respiratory disease using a spirometer is a standard procedure. The procedure iseasy for administers. Examining patients with the pulmonary disease, especially in both remote and rural areas, is an important screening step to avoid the worsening of their conditions, and even death. However, spirometer machines are expensive in Thailand, being an imported device. To overcome this situation, the objective of our research was to develop a spirometer device that is able to be manufactured locally. We tested our device against the Vyntus® Spiro USB PC spirometer for the comparative accuracy of our results. Thirty healthy participants (15 for our device and 15 for Vyntus® Spiro USB PC spirometer) were selected as the sample subjects. The results showed that the values of FVC, FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC, FEF25-75%, PEF and FEF-max obtained from both the spirometers were no statistically significant difference with independent t-test p-value of0.491, 0.151, 0.099, 0.110, 0.151, 0.143, respectively. In addition, the percentage difference of FVC, FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC, FEF25-75%, PEF, FEF-max was -3.61, -7.41, -4.59, -12.65, -9.59 and -9.92,respectively.In conclusion, the spirometer developed in ourproject provided lung function readings close to commercial spirometer values. Further development of the processing and displaying software is undertaken to improve the accuracy of the device for it. Thisis to be considered appropriate for future diagnostic use in patients with pulmonary disease.