Guided inhalation manoeuvre during nebulisation – tracking and analysing users’ breathing technique

<bold>Introduction:</bold> The large variability in pulmonary drug delivery can be reduced when the inhalation manoeuvre performed during nebulization is controlled (1-2). Kolibri is a breath-triggered nebuliser with haptic feedback to target particles into specific lung regions. This study aims to validate Kolibri's technology in guiding first-time users' inhalation technique. <bold>Methods:</bold> The feedback settings were defined to maintain the inhalation flow rate below 15 L/min and for up to 6 seconds. Nine healthy participants spontaneously inhaled 1 mL of saline, with data on the inhalation manoeuvre being recorded and analysed. One participant was later excluded from the study due to asthma diagnosis. <bold>Results and Discussion:</bold> Kolibri effectively guided the users' inhalation manoeuver. The analysis showed that 75% of participants maintained the average inhaled flow rate between 10.1-11.6 L/min for 6 seconds, therefore below the 15 L/min limit with a low variability (coef. variation 6-25%) – figure 1. Two participants showed a learning process, initially exceeding the inhaled flow rate limits but later being able to adjust after perceiving the correct feedback. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> Feedback technology effectively reduces the inhalation manoeuvre variability during nebulisation. Early user validation tests are crucial for optimizing device technology.