Medical Software for Diagnosing Respiratory Ailments
Project description
Eco Medics is a Swiss company that has developed a globally unique analytical method and corresponding devices for measuring pulmonary function. Areas of application range from neonatology and sports medicine to routine diagnostics and scientific research. Helbling conceived and developed a user-friendly software application for two analytical methods which can be employed efficiently in day-to-day clinical work.
Eco Medics had worked together with leading scientists in Europe and the USA to develop a procedure that would quickly and precisely measure and analyze exhaled nitric oxide (NO) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Since FeNO is produced by inflamed airway cells, measuring the NO concentration of exhaled air can determine the severity of an inflammation. In another method developed by Eco Medics, tracer gases (oxygen, helium or SF6) are washed into and out of the lungs to identify and locate potential irregularities in the gas distribution. Eco Medics developed devices for both of these (and other) procedures, which do not require any direct cooperation by patients. Lung function testing can therefore be performed on premature babies, infants and children as well as patients with disabilities. Helbling was commissioned by Eco Medics to develop a software application for analyzing and logging the measurements, which not only meets the very highest standards in functionality, but is also easy to operate. During this project, Helbling was able to draw on the experience it had gained through numerous other medical software projects, all of which had the same top priority: usability.
Key data and technical details
- .NET Framework
- WPF (vector graphics without pixelation)
- Real-time graphics (sampling rate: 200 Hz x six sensors)
- Mathematical algorithms
- Analyses of the physical properties of gases
- USB com port for embedded communications with the devices
- Reporting features
- Regular device calibration