SpiroConnect^® - Vertical Turbine Technology

The use of turbine technology for spirometers was first described in 1982¹. Since that time turbine technology has become widely used by many manufacturers and has gained a reputation for stability of calibration, low cost and ease of use. However, turbine spirometers have difficulty in reaching the low flow sensitivity required by the ATS/ERS guidelines² of 0.025l/sec. Low flow sensitivity is particularly important for the diagnosis and monitoring of COPD, a condition characterised by an extended period of low flow in the spirometry manoeuvre.

SpiroConnect^® is the only turbine spirometer to overcome this limitation by a radical redesign of the turbine geometry combined with reorientation the turbine axis to lie vertically.

All good quality spirometry turbines use conical V jewelled bearings to minimise friction. However, the horizontal orientation of the turbine in all other spirometers currently available is not optimal for the bearings used as illustrated below:

1. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1982 Jul 3;285(6334):15-7.
Pocket sized device for measuring FEV1 and FVC
Chowienczyk PJ, Lawson CP.

2. Eur Respir J 2005; 26: 319–338
Standardisation of Spirometry
MR Miller et al