Systems and methods for monitoring the respiratory status of a user

A system for monitoring respiratory status of a user, comprising:

• a nasal cannula including a first prong configured to be inserted into a first nasal passage of the user and a second prong configured to be inserted into a second nasal passage of the user;
• a light transmitter coupled to a first optical fiber, wherein the light transmitter is configured to transmit, via the first optical fiber and the first prong, a first light to the first nasal passage of the user;
• a photodetector coupled to a second optical fiber, wherein the photodetector is configured to receive, via the second prong and the second optical fiber, a second light from the second nasal passage of the user, the second light being at least a portion of the first light that passes into the second nasal passage from the first nasal passage;
• at least one processor configured to detect a difference in a characteristic between the first light and the second light and determine one or more respiratory parameters associated with the respiratory status based at least partly on the detected difference;
• and
• a third optical fiber configured to display one or more visual indications of the determined results for one or more respiratory parameters.

A method of monitoring respiratory status of a user, comprising:

• discharging, from a light transmitter, first light into a first nasal passage of the user via a first prong of a nasal cannula inserted into the first nasal passage;
• receiving, at a photodetector, second light from a second nasal passage of the user via a second prong of the nasal cannula inserted into the second nasal passage, wherein the second light includes at least a portion of the first light that passes into the second nasal passage from the first nasal passage;
• using at least one processor to (i) detect a difference in a characteristic between the first light and the second light, and (ii) determine one or more respiratory parameters associated with the respiratory status based at least partly on the detected difference;
• and
• providing a visual indication of the determined results for one or more respiratory parameters via a third optical fiber.