University Startup VitalFlo Brings Asthma Prevention Technology to Market

VitalFlo is using technology developed by ASSIST researchers to create a low-cost, portable spirometer that will enable physicians to regularly monitor the breathing of their patients with respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The device enables patients to easily record their breathing measurements when using it while it is connected to an app on their smartphone, said James Dieffenderfer, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering at NC State. He and other biomedical engineers at ASSIST developed the technology, obtained the patent in 2014 and then began their first clinical study in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Medical Center and UNC Rex Healthcare.