Wearable devices configured for facilitating diagnosis and/or assessment of pulmonary diseases, and corresponding methods

A wearable device configured for facilitating diagnosis and/or assessment of a pulmonary disease, the device comprising:

• a flexible patch having a skin contact surface covered with a hypoallergenic adhesive configured to adhere to human skin;
• a water-resistant enclosure disposed upon or within the patch;
• an acoustic sensor disposed within the enclosure, the acoustic sensor being configured to provide an acoustic signal conveying information associated with internal respiratory sounds;
• a muscle activity sensor disposed within the enclosure, the muscle activity sensor being configured to provide a muscle activity signal conveying information associated with contraction of an accessory respiratory muscle;
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium disposed within the enclosure, the storage medium being configured to store information and provide access to the stored information;
• and
• one or more processors disposed within the enclosure, the one or more processors being configured by computer program instructions to:
• record onto the storage medium information conveyed by one or more signals including the acoustic signal and the muscle activity signal, the information being analyzable to identify one or both of wheezing or coughing episodes;
• and
• determine an occurrence of clinically significant wheezing, the determination being based on information conveyed by the acoustic signal and the muscle activity signal.

A method for facilitating diagnosis and/or assessment of a pulmonary disease using a wearable device, the wearable device comprising a flexible patch having a skin contact surface covered with a hypoallergenic adhesive configured to adhere to human skin and a water-resistant enclosure disposed upon or within the patch, the patch being configured to be worn proximate to a suprasternal notch of a human subject and being shaped to resemble an elongated adhesive bandage, the method comprising:

• obtaining an acoustic signal from an acoustic sensor disposed within the enclosure, the acoustic signal conveying information associated with internal respiratory sounds, wherein the acoustic sensor is a contact accelerometer configured to sense tissue vibration;
• obtaining a muscle activity signal from a muscle activity sensor disposed within the enclosure, the muscle activity signal conveying information associated with contraction of an accessory respiratory muscle;
• recording onto a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium disposed within the enclosure information conveyed by one or more signals including the acoustic signal and the muscle activity signal, the information being analyzable to identify one or both of wheezing or coughing episodes;
• and
• determining an occurrence of clinically significant wheezing, the determination being based on information conveyed by the acoustic signal and the muscle activity signal.

A method for treating a pulmonary disease, the method comprising:

• obtaining a diagnosis of the pulmonary disease using a wearable device, the device comprising:
• a flexible patch having a skin contact surface covered with a hypoallergenic adhesive configured to adhere to human skin;
• a water-resistant enclosure disposed upon or within the patch;
• an acoustic sensor disposed within the enclosure, the acoustic sensor being configured to provide an acoustic signal conveying information associated with internal respiratory sounds, wherein the acoustic sensor is a contact accelerometer configured to sense tissue vibration;
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium disposed within the enclosure, the storage medium being configured to store information and provide access to the stored information;
• and
• one or more processors disposed within the enclosure, the one or more processors being configured by computer program instructions to:
• record onto the storage medium information conveyed by one or more signals including the acoustic signal, the information being analyzable to identify one or both of wheezing or coughing episodes;
• and
• administering a therapeutic agent effective in ameliorating the pulmonary disease.