BioExplorer Breathing Designs

These designs measure and feed back breathing related information. They are founded on a robust and consistent detection of the breathing turning points (i.e. transitions between inhalation and exhalation phases). From this can be calculated:

• breathing rate
• ratio of duration of inhalation to exhalation (I:E ratio)

Features of Breathing Designs

• Breathing can be monitored using either temperature of inhaled and exhaled air, or a pneumograph or strain gage which detects breathing movements in either the chest or abdomen. There are two functionally equivalent design sets, based on each parameter.
• Feedback of breathing rate + I:E ratio.
• EMG feedback in conjunction with breathing measurements - designed to show the relative involvement of the upper chest muscles (e.g. scalene, trapezius).
• Dual pneumograph design - shows the relative involvement of chest and abdomen in breathing, and can highlight disfunctional breathing patterns such as reverse breathing.

Graphical Feedback Features

• 2 minute breathing trend
• 
• 2 minute trend showing EMG against superimposed inhalation / exhalation phases
• 
• 15 minute trend showing breathing rate, I:E ratio and other computed measures

Audio Feedback Features

Each audio feedback option can be switched on and off using a button.

• Breathing Tone: a tone whose pitch gently rises and falls with the breath, going silent at the top and bottom of the breath. Breathing rate and I:E ratio can also be fed back via pitch variation superimposed over the individual breath cycles.
• Threshold-based feedback - sounds when measures (e.g. breathing rate) go out of range.

Sample Screenshots

Click on the thumbnail to see the full-scale image.

	1. Breathing with EMG The middle trend shows EMG recorded from a scalene / trapezius placement - it shows the involvement of the upper chest in breathing. The coloured bands distinguish the inhalation and exhalation phases of the breath, making the relationship clearer.
	2. Dual Pneumograph Design This design uses two pneumographs (strain gages) to show the relationship between chest and abdomen in breathing. Notice the shift to more rapid chest breathing, shown in the trend.

For further information see the User Guide for the breathing designs. This can be downloaded for free. Visit the downloads page by clicking the link in the navigation menu.

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