App to measure breathing rate inside 10 seconds

A new mobile app can measure respiratory rate in children roughly six times faster than the standard stop watch method.

Developed by researchers at British Columbia Children's Hospital and University of British Columbia, "RRate" can reliably measure respiratory rate in an average of 9.9 seconds.

Currently, physicians typically measure respiratory rate by counting a patient's breaths for 60 seconds using a stop watch.

"With this app, we can give health care workers with few resources faster and more accurate measurements, help them make better decisions, and give them more time with their patients," said Walter Karlen, who co-led the study with Heng Gan.

This simple, but innovative piece of technology is a big step towards better diagnoses for children with pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses.

"RRate" allows workers to measure respiratory rate by tapping the touch screen every time the child inhales.

In addition to calculating the rate of inhalations during a given time frame, the app also provides an animation of a breathing baby, allowing for a direct comparison with the breathing patient, said the study published in the journal PLOS One.