ieCrowd has recently announced that they have achieved a huge milestone by designing an advanced supplemental oxygen delivery device called Smart Oxygen. It is designed to be used by patients suffering with diseases such as COPD. The device has the ability to automatically adjust to the patient’s oxygen needs, even if they are constantly changing, through analysing the level of activity.

It has been confirmed by the FDA that the Smart Oxygen device has been submitted for approval by the FDA as it would need several bench and laboratory performance tests before it can be approved for commercial marketing. It is expected that if the device passes all testing criteria then it could be available in the early part of 2016.
The device can adjust automatically on a breath-by-breath basis. It uses an algorithm which is patent-pending, to allow it to deliver a specific dose of oxygen in response to the respiratory pattern that the patient is exhibiting. If the device is enabled to respond to a patient’s changing metabolic activities and oxygen requirements then the patient will receive the specific and appropriate amount of oxygen when they are carrying out activities that require short bursts of increased oxygen consumption, such as climbing the stairs, walking or exercising. This then maintains satisfactory blood oxygen levels without the need to manually adjust the oxygen flow rate (which patients are not recommended to do themselves anyway). This results in a more dynamic lifestyle with increased mobility, better exercise performance and improved quality of life.
Keeping active and maintaining an exercise routine is crucial for COPD patients however many find it difficult as they get out of breath so easily whereas this device would adjust and increase their oxygen flow rate if necessary and only when the body required it to allow them to exercise and perform daily tasks much more easily and ultimately improve their fitness levels and their medical condition.
References: http://www.rtmagazine.com and http://copdnewstoday.com