Respiratory system simulator

A modular apparatus that simulates a respiratory system, comprising:

• an oral cavity module including an oral cavity capable of drawing a flow from outside the oral cavity to simulate an inhalation of a breath, the oral cavity having a first shape and first dimensions that simulate at least a first portion of the oral cavity;
• an oropharynx module including an oropharynx cavity capable of receiving the flow from the oral cavity module, the oropharynx module configured to be detachable from the oral cavity module, the oropharynx cavity having a second shape and second dimensions that simulate at least a second portion of the oral cavity and a pharyngeal cavity;
• a trachea module including a trachea airway cavity capable of receiving the flow from the oropharynx cavity, the trachea module configured to be detachable from the oropharynx module, the trachea airway cavity having a third shape and third dimensions that simulate the trachea airway cavity;
• an upper lung airway module including a first plurality of bronchial airway generation cavities capable of receiving, and of dividing with each successive generation, the flow from the trachea airway cavity, the upper lung airway module configured to be detachable from the trachea module;
• a lower lung airway module including a second plurality of bronchial airway generation cavities capable of receiving, and of dividing with each successive generation, divided flows from the upper lung airway module, the lower lung airway module configured to be detachable from the upper lung airway module;
• a sampling cavity module capable of receiving flows from the lower lung airway module, the sampling cavity module including a breath simulator interface capable of communicating a pressure with a strength and a duration capable of simulating an inhalation cycle.

A method of operating a modular respiratory system simulator, comprising:

• drawing a flow into an oral cavity of an oral cavity module in a manner that simulates an inhalation of a breath, the oral cavity having a first shape and first dimensions that simulate at least a first portion of the oral cavity;
• receiving the flow from the oral cavity module into an oropharynx cavity of an oropharynx module the oropharynx module configured to be detachable from the oral cavity module, into the oropharynx module, the oropharynx cavity having a second shape and second dimensions that simulate at least a second portion of the oral cavity and a pharyngeal cavity;
• receiving the flow from the oropharynx module into a trachea airway cavity of a trachea module, the trachea module configured to be detachable from the oropharynx module, the trachea airway cavity having a third shape and third dimensions that simulate a trachea cavity;
• receiving and dividing the flow from the trachea module into an upper lung airway module, the upper lung airway module including a first plurality of bronchial airway generation cavities capable of receiving, and of dividing with each successive generation, the flow from the trachea airway cavity, the upper lung airway module configured to be detachable from the trachea module;
• receiving and further dividing divided flows from the upper lung airway module in a lower lung airway module, the lower lung airway module including at least a second plurality of bronchial airway generation cavities capable of receiving, and of dividing with each successive generation, divided flows from the upper lung airway module, the lower lung airway module configured to be detachable from the upper lung airway module;
• receiving the divided flows from the lower lung airway module in a sampling cavity of a sampling cavity module, the sampling cavity module capable of receiving the divided flows from the lower lung airway module, the sampling cavity module including a breath simulator interface capable of communicating a pressure with a strength and a duration capable of simulating an inhalation cycle.

An apparatus that simulates a respiratory system, comprising:

• a simulated oral cavity capable of receiving an aerosol;
• a simulated oropharynx cavity capable of receiving the aerosol from the simulated oral cavity;
• a simulated trachea airway cavity capable of receiving the aerosol from the simulated oropharynx cavity;
• a simulated lung airway system comprising a plurality of bronchial airway generations, the simulated lung airway system capable of receiving the aerosol from the simulated trachea airway cavity, the plurality of bronchial airway generations including a final airway generation, the simulated lung airway system including:
• a first perforated plate having a first plurality of passageways that simulate a first lower lung bronchial airway generation, the first plurality of passageways having sizes that simulate the first lower lung bronchial airway generation;
• and
• a second perforated plate having a second plurality of passageways that simulate a second lower lung bronchial airway generation, the second plurality of passageways having sizes that simulate the second lower lung bronchial airway generation;
• and
• a breath simulator interface in fluid communication with the final airway generation, a breath simulator coupled to the breath simulator interface to draw the aerosol through the simulated oropharynx cavity, the simulated trachea airway cavity, and the simulated lung airway system.