Kobe Gakuin University Lecturer Develops and Releases "Respi Checker" App to Visualize Respiratory Function on Smartphones

Daisuke Tashiro, a lecturer at the Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kobe Gakuin University, has developed and released the "Respi Checker" app, which enables simple measurement and visualization of respiratory function using a smartphone, now available on the App Store.

Download here

This app offers a novel assessment method that quantifies respiratory status by utilizing the smartphone's built-in sensors (gyroscope) to measure abdominal movement. While conventional respiratory function evaluation requires specialized equipment like spirometers, this app allows for measurements simply by holding the smartphone against the abdomen, enabling anyone to easily check their respiratory condition.

Background of Development In recent years, "shallow breathing" due to stress and lifestyle changes has become a concern, yet objective means to grasp respiratory function in daily life have been limited.

Lecturer Tashiro has been conducting research on respiratory rehabilitation and abdominal exercise (abdominal bulge volume). Based on this knowledge, he aimed to realize a mechanism to evaluate breathing without specialized equipment, leading to the development of this app.

Furthermore, the development of this app was designed and built based on fundamental data collected and analyzed with his seminar students over the past four years.

App Features * Simple measurement method: Just place the smartphone on your abdomen. * Quantifies respiratory function from abdominal bulge and contraction speed. * Estimates indicators related to Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and Vital Capacity (SVC). * Provides feedback on measurement results and visualizes changes over time. * Equipped with breathing training functions (1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes).

This app can be used not only for self-checking respiratory function but also for supporting continuous breathing training.

Expected Fields of Application * Evaluation and training support in medical and rehabilitation settings. * Home healthcare and community rehabilitation. * Employee condition management in corporate health and wellness programs. * Biofeedback for yoga and breathing technique training.

Future Outlook Currently, verification of the app's measurement accuracy, reliability, and validity is underway. Future plans include further functional expansion, such as integration with wearable devices and the development of standard values.

A promotional video for this app is available on YouTube. Watch here

<Reference URLs> Kobe Gakuin University Faculty of Rehabilitation Introduction Page Faculty of Rehabilitation Original Site

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<Inquiry Contact> Kobe Gakuin University Public Relations Group MAIL: koho@j.kobegakuin.ac.jp TEL: 078-974-6084 (Direct) Contact: Takamura (Weekdays 9:30-11:30 / 13:00-17:00) 1-1-3 Minatojima, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-8586, Japan