Provided is a system including a plurality of inhalers that each include a processor configured to determine a value of a usage parameter relating to use of the respective first inhaler, encrypt data based on the value, and transmit the encrypted data. At least two of the inhalers include different medicament, such as a rescue medicament and a maintenance medicament. The system includes an external device that includes a processor configured to distinguish between the encrypted data of each respective inhaler, determine respective usage information relating to each of the distinct types of medicament based on the respective encrypted data, and control a user interface (e.g., of the external device) to communicate the usage information related to each inhaler and/or each respective type of medicament.

Methods and apparatus infer or indicate sleep stage(s) of a patient from a respiratory flow rate signal of the patient. The method may include applying a plurality of detection pathways to a signal representing a respiratory flow rate of the patient, wherein each detection pathway is configured to generate start events and end events indicating start times and end times of episodes respectively of a corresponding sleep stage, wherein each start event and each end event has a priority; and combining the start events and end events based on their priorities to produce an indication of the sleep stage of the patient. The apparatus may include a sensor configured to generate a signal representing a property of a flow of air within a patient interface; and a processor configured to implement a method of inferring a sleep stage of the patient from the signal.

A device including a first flow channel, a second flow channel and a body part including an inner volume. A first space of the inner volume is adapted to be filled with liquid and a second space of the inner volume is arranged to receive steam. The device further includes means for conveying a gas flow from the steam space of the inner volume via the first flow channel to the outside of the device during inhalation and means for conveying the exhaled gas flow from the outside of the device via the second flow channel to the first space of the inner volume. The device further includes means for measuring a flow and a temperature of an airflow, and means for adjusting the flow of the airflow mechanically and/or automatically. The present disclosure further relates to a method and a system.

A flow sensor system for ventilation treatment comprises a flow conduit configured to allow gas flow between a first region and a second region, the flow conduit defining a lumen for the gas flow; a flow restrictor disposed within the lumen of the flow conduit between the first region and the second region; a first absolute pressure sensor disposed adjacent to the first region of the flow conduit and configured to measure a pressure of the gas flow at the first region of the flow conduit; and a second absolute pressure sensor disposed adjacent to the second region of the flow conduit and configured to measure pressure of the gas flow at the second region of the flow conduit.

A fluid dynamic valve passively allows fluid flow out of a moving stream in one flow direction and not in the reverse. This allows the collection of fluid from a single direction of an AC fluid flow. The siphoned portion of the flow has a flow rate proportional to the mainstream flow. This device can collect exhaled breath or selective entrenchment during inhale. In one orientation, it can meter aerosolized particles into an inhale breath stream for pulmonary delivery, without complicated breath timing or drug loss due to drug adsorption to the back of the throat. Alternatively, a user can breathe through the device and a proportional amount, relative to the volumetric flow rate, of each exhale can flow into an auxiliary chamber for analysis. In addition, the device has a low respiratory burden and is comfortable to use.

The present invention describes an apparatus and method for determining the energy expenditure of a subject by indirect calorimetry where respiratory gases O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 are captured in a tent mask coupled through a pneumotach flow meter to a vacuum inlet of a blower fan whose speed is controlled by a computer running a program that ensures that the bias flow being drawn through the mask always exceeds the subject's peak expiratory flow. VO.sub.2 and VCO.sub.2 and flow values are measured on a breath-by-breath basis and used in arriving at a bias flow adjustment voltage to be applied to the blower fan for adjusting its speed.

The chronic nature of asthma necessitates regular self-monitoring of respiratory function in susceptible individuals, however the available devices for performing the necessary measurements are either inaccurate or expensive and bulky. The present invention provides a small, cheap spirometer for efficient, accurate and convenient measurement of breathing characteristics.

The present invention provides a method of measuring respiratory flow rate. The method includes a user exhaling through a flow dependent sound producing device which comprises a mouthpiece and a vortex chamber. The vortex chamber has an axis and an outlet such that exhaled air flows through the mouthpiece into the vortex chamber causing the exhaled air to form a vortex around the axis and then pass out of the chamber via the outlet in an axial direction, thereby producing a sound. The method further includes detecting the sound using a mobile electronic device and analyzing said sound to determine a frequency of said sound and using said frequency to determine the respiratory flow rate.

A flow sensor system for ventilation treatment comprises a flow conduit configured to allow gas flow between a first region and a second region, the flow conduit defining a lumen for the gas flow; a flow restrictor disposed within the lumen of the flow conduit between the first region and the second region; a first absolute pressure sensor disposed adjacent to the first region of the flow conduit and configured to measure a pressure of the gas flow at the first region of the flow conduit; and a second absolute pressure sensor disposed adjacent to the second region of the flow conduit and configured to measure pressure of the gas flow at the second region of the flow conduit.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed a system using a microphone and a mobile computer device comprising a transducer through which a user is to exhale or inhale; the transducer is configured and operable to convert the spirometric flow rate into an audible signal having an audio frequency responsive to the spirometric flow rate, wherein the transducer comprises a rotor including a plurality of rotor blades configured to rotate the rotor responsive to a spirometric flow; wherein the microphone is external to the transducer and is adapted to detect the audible signal having the audio frequency and to convert the audible signal to a corresponding electrical signal having the audio frequency.