Advancing Telemedicine in Pulmonology: Acoustic-waveform Respiratory Evaluation (AWARE) via Sensing and Machine Learning on Smartphones

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the use of smartphone speakers and microphones to assess airway size, detect airway obstruction, assist in diagnosing airway diseases, and identify disease flare-ups. This study focuses on chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, and other airway conditions. The goal is to improve remote monitoring of lung disease using smartphone-based sensing combined with machine learning techniques, aiming for more accurate, reliable, and adaptable pulmonary telemedicine. Participants will undergo a diagnostic test called AWARE, which uses smartphone technology to estimate lung function and support disease diagnosis. The study includes groups with asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, other airway diseases, and healthy controls. Participants will complete questionnaires, body measurements, and three types of pulmonary function tests: spirometry, oscillometry, and AWARE. Some will perform AWARE at home for up to two weeks, and a subgroup will test with study smartphones and their own devices to assess repeatability across different platforms. During the study, participants will be assessed through lung function tests, questionnaires, and body composition measurements. Researchers will monitor outcomes such as accurate disease diagnosis, estimation of lung function indices, and detection of airway changes during exacerbations. The study measures will be collected over up to two weeks per participant. This involves supervised and unsupervised testing both in clinics and at home, allowing comprehensive evaluation of the AWARE approach's reliability and clinical utility.

Acoustic Waveform Respiratory Evaluation