Novel Handheld Device to Measure the Nasal Expiratory Flow Rate of the Two Nasal Cavities Individually and Simultaneously

Abstract

This paper reveals a novel handheld device to measure the peak nasal expiratory flow rate of the two nasal cavities individually and simultaneously. Significantly, when using this device, the patient needs to inhale from the mouth and exhale from the nose, as a usual breath, and importantly there is no need to take extra effort to exhale. The key detection mechanism used is the anemometer technique and the measurement is done by using an optical wheel encoder and an ATmega328p microcontroller. The device is capable of measuring the exhaled airflow rate with an accuracy of ± 1 LPM. It also allows measuring the number of breaths per minute together with the respective temperature and the relative humidity of the exhaled airflow of the two nasal cavities separately. Two DHT22 sensor modules are used to measure relative humidity and temperature with an accuracy of ±1 %RH and ±0.5℃ respectively. This can be used by a Rhinologist as an initial diagnosing tool for several diseases, as the device allows them to get an idea about the patient’s exhaling behavior of the nasal airflow instantly. The device would be beneficial in the sports sector as a physical fitness indicator by means of the breathing style.