A New Biomedical Device for Respiratory Muscle Assessment and Training

Abstract

Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (MIP) and Maximal Expiratory Pressure (MEP) are established indicators of respiratory muscle function in clinical and research contexts. However, routine assessments often rely on analog instruments with limited digital traceability, which limits data analysis and longitudinal monitoring. To address this limitation, this study introduces a low-cost, 3D-printed portable device (3D-PPD) system for acquiring, visualizing, and locally storing pressure–time traces during maximal inspiratory and expiratory maneuvers. A pilot study assessed content validity through a two-round expert review (n=6), concurrent validity against a reference manovacuometer, and within-session and test–retest reliability in older adults (n=10) across two sessions. The total Content Validity Index (CVI) improved from 0.86 to 0.90 after device design modifications. Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) between the 3D-PPD and the reference manovacuometer ranged from 0.765 to 0.930. For the 3D-PPD, within-session ICC values ranged from 0.846 to 0.940, and test–retest ICC values ranged from 0.843 to 0.918. These results suggest that the 3D-PPD can support maximal respiratory pressure assessment with digital traceability in a pilot context, warranting further validation in larger, more diverse populations.

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Citation

@article{scaldaferri2026a,
  title = {A New Biomedical Device for Respiratory Muscle Assessment and Training},
  author = {Scaldaferri, Giselle Barbara De Almeida and Silva, Yuri Lima Dos Santos and Brito, Vitoria Caldas Lordelo De and Sales, Matheus and Castro, Marcela Rodrigues De and Bittencourt, Joao Carlos N. and Neto, Joao Soares De Oliveira and Ferraz, Daniel Dominguez},
  year = {2026},
  journal = {IEEE Access},
  volume = {14},
  pages = {110082--110096},
  month = {jan},
  doi = {10.1109/access.2026.3713824}
}