X-halo

About 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, one of the most common chronic diseases affecting both children and adults. The 2004 Global Burden of Asthma Report warns that an additional 100 million will be diagnosed with asthma by 2025. Its prevalence is on the rise as societies become increasingly urbanized. Each year, asthma accounts for an estimated 250,000 deaths worldwide, some of which could have been prevented.

Asthma symptoms, which can range from mild to severe, exist in two states: Chronic and acute, and may also vary with the seasons. During the chronic state of asthma, the symptoms do not bother the individual and they feel okay. In contrast, for the acute state, symptoms like coughing and difficulty breathing may occur more often and feel much worse than normal. The change in the level and/or amount of symptoms is a sign that the condition is getting worse and an asthma attack could be developing. Medical attention is needed right away in such situations. Death can occur from an asthmatic attack if the correct medications are delayed.

Studies have indicated a correlation between the onset of asthmatic episodes and a rise in exhaled breath temperature. The X-halo can measure the temperature of exhaled air in a simple, non-invasive and user-friendly way. It helps improve the management of asthma and other respiratory diseases. Using the X-halo is easy—the patient just has to inhale through the nose and exhale into the device, which houses a chamber with a thermal core. Each exhalation increases the temperature inside this reservoir until equilibrium is reached and can be measured by the thermal sensor. The final temperature is automatically displayed and stored.