S25 AirVana

Project Description:

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children in the United States, affecting approximately 6.5% of individuals under 18. Characterized by airway inflammation and narrowing, it leads to symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Despite the availability of effective treatments, medication adherence remains low—ranging from 30% to 70%—which significantly compromises patient outcomes. To address this, AirVana introduces a smart inhaler attachment designed to support adherence, improve technique, and empower both pediatric patients and caregivers.
The AirVana Smart Attachment is designed to fit over a standard metered-dose inhaler (MDI), featuring a dual-component system: a main hub and a smart mouthpiece. The main hub, mounted on the canister, includes an OLED screen displaying dose count, expiration date, and medication reminders. It houses a microcontroller with SD card storage, Bluetooth and GPS modules for connectivity and location tracking, and a tactile switch to detect actuation for data synchronization.
The smart mouthpiece fits over the existing MDI mouthpiece and contains a precision airflow sensor that measures inhalation velocity in real time, scoring each breath based on pediatric clinical standards to reinforce proper technique.
A companion app supports two user modes: one for children and one for parents. The child interface is gamified, allowing users to destroy “pollutant monsters” with their breath when the correct flow rate is achieved, encouraging muscle memory through interactive feedback. The parent interface provides a searchable dashboard with medication logs, daily asthma outlook, detailed adherence analytics, multi-child profile management, and direct physician communication.
Together, the AirVana system creates a connected, intuitive ecosystem that improves inhaler technique, increases adherence, and supports long-term asthma management through clinical-grade feedback, gamified learning, and comprehensive caregiver oversight.