Hi everyone, is there a wearable device currently available to track breathing rate 24/7, ideally with alerts when your breath is shallow and automatic data transfer to the web and smartphones?
I searched the QS website, forums, and the web and the only wearable device I found was the Zephyr BioHarness 3, though I’m not sure it’s meant for 24/7 and consumer use:
http://www.zephyr-technology.com/bioharness-bt
Thanks!
Mark
The Zephyr is the only one that comes to mind.
It seems to be that it’s very hard to find a lot of devices suitable for QS use, particularly devices that you can get your data out of easily. Perhaps we should start working collaboratively on devices of our own. Something like a breath sensor wouldn’t be too difficult I think, at least for a basic model.
Hi,
There are at least 3 ways to measure the respiration rate:
(1) using a stretch sensor to detect chest expansion.
(2) using a microphone to detect exhalations
(3) using a pulse oximeter and extracting the respiration rate from the raw data (see(Respiratory rate extraction from pulse oximeter and electrocardiographic recordings by Jinseok Lee, John P Florian and Ki H Chon)
Probably the easiest way is the stretch sensor… What do you think?
tom
theiman,
I agree, a stretch sensor would be easiest, the problem of course is getting the data out easily, assuming you want to be untethered 
Hi There,
Dave Deriso (davidderiso.com) is developing a set of open biosensors at http://openbiosensors.com/ … One of them is a breathing rate monitor… He would probably appreciate any help from anybody who is engineering inclined…
Caio,
tom
Thanks a lot for that link.
You are welcome!! I am interested in tracking breathing rate 24/7 also…
tom
I would add a 4th: using an accelerometer to detect chest expansion and contraction. That is how the Zephyr Bioharness 3 works.
Hi Jason,
Can it detect your breathrate while you are moving or does it require you to be stationary? I was looking at the web site(https://www.zephyrlife.com/) and it looks like this version only measures nonmoving respiration rate…
tom
Zephyr Bioharness 3.0 doesn’t use an accelerometer to measure the breathing rate. As I remember it uses a innovative and patented sensing technique based on capacitive measure. Therefore it can be well used in a moving activity to record the breathing rate as stated in this paper: http://www.biopac.com/Manuals/white_breathing.pdf
Zephyr BH3 is as far as I know the only device. It has a very good battery life, but still not enough for 24/7 measurements. During our tests we did use BH3 with all parameters (ECG, Activity, Breath, HR, HRV) collected, stored and sent to Android phone in real-time. It last for 19 hours. So if you disable all parameters except BR and use only General packet, I’m sure that battery will hold for a day.
Hexoskin does this also. But its in pre order stages.
This is somewhat out on a tangent, but have you guys seen this new snorkle mask from Tribord? I was intrigued by the way they channeled in/exhalation to allow for a more natural breathing pattern. Not that I expect everyone to start walking around with masks on their face, but you never know, it might inspire someone to think in new directions in terms of developing future sensors. (And I thought it was a pretty cool design.:))
If still relevant, Nozpad has nosewears and eyewears for breath rate and rhythm tracking. They have Android and IOS apps for live health monitoring.
Thanks
Sean
I don’t know how these breathing devices work but I would like to add some observations that I made with respect to breathing that may be useful.
I did an experiment back in the early 1980s in observing other people’s breathing rate during times when they were relaxed and during times when they were stressed. I found that all the people I examined as my subjects had habitually manipulate their breathing as a coping habit.
Some people took deeper breaths when stressed while others took shallower breaths and even hold down a breath every now and then. I also noticed that many of the people who take shallower breaths have under developed lungs and a few were hunched slightly. Some of those that take deeper and sometime more rapid breaths had over inflated lungs and an enlarged and expanded chest.
I would say from my findings that breath volume is possible as important as the breathing rate in developing a device to measure breathing.
Hi guys! Firsst time poster! Ive been musing this over for soooo long… Incrdible you guys are way ahead of me! Maybe there is benefit in reaching out to diy crowd and pitching it as a stress monitor?
I’ve seen a device that gives feedback on your breathing - I’ve never used it however:
Would love to get input from anyone who’s used it. Unsure if it tracks your breath or if you can download that info.
Some sleep trackers track your breath BTW - the beddit, ResMed or emfit
I used it. I spoke with the founder a bit. I’m not exactly sure how it works but I noticed that its reads correlated well with my senses. It says when you’re not focused/tense/walking etc… and the data seemed to match reality.
Prana is a device designed to track both posture and diaphragmatic breathing (plus steps taken). You wear it on your waist/belt and it trains breathing via an app.
It’s not yet released - see Indiegogo project. It’s been in crowdfunding stage since Jan 2015, with a failed Kickstarter attempt after a launch planned for January 2015.