Monitoring and Coaching To Promote Proper Inhaler Technique

Multimodal Computing and Interaction

More than half of asthma patients have poor control, and no improvements in asthma outcomes were seen during a recent 10-year span. Reasons for poor control include failure to follow asthma treatment guidelines by both physicians and patients. A key element in controlling asthma is good inhaler technique, which many patients lack. This project will develop automated methods to observe and monitor patients using metered dose inhalers, and coach them in proper inhaler use. Observation will take place using an automated RGB+D camera system that identifies incorrect actions. Coaching is performed by an interactive system with friendly personal reminders and corrections to reinforce good treatment outcomes. If successful, these efforts will result in improvements in asthma control and reduced costs associated with asthma and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.