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Philips breath counter.jpg
FA info icon.svg Angle down icon.svg Medical equipment data
Health topic Child mortality
Health classification Diagnosis
FA info icon.svg Angle down icon.svg Project data
Location Washington State, United States
Made No
Replicated No
OKH Manifest Download

Problem being addressed

Infant pneumonia is one of the leading causes of fatalities in children under the age of five, claiming more than two million children's lives every year.

Detailed description of the solution

The Breath Counter measures the number of breaths taken by a patient to diagnose pneumonia. Once an activation button is pressed, the device counts each breath taken by an infant for one minute. A total of three tests are taken, and the count results for all three tests are displayed on an LCD screen. The device is powered by solar cells and has a lifespan of more than five years. It can be worn around the neck.

Designed by

  • Designed by: Philips Philanthropy by Design Program
  • Manufacturer: Philips Design
  • Manufacturer location: 2301 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200, Seattle WA, 98121-1825

Planning and Implementation

Philips partnered with international organizations, such as Save the Children, WHO, and Nepal Family Health Program in developing the Breath Counter.

Funding Source

Private sources through Philips Philanthropy by Design.

References

Other internally generated reports

Philips Philanthropy by Design. (2009). Fighting pneumonia. Full PDF available here.

Externally generated reports

Bloomberg Businessweek. (n.d.). 15 Best Heavy Duty Designs: Breath Counter. Link available here

Maternova. (2011). Philips' Breath Counter. More information available here.

FA info icon.svg Angle down icon.svg Page data
Part of Global Health Medical Device Compendium
SDG SDG03 Good health and well-being, SDG09 Industry innovation and infrastructure
Authors Eva Shiu
License CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language English (en)
Related 0 subpages, 1 pages link here
Impact 282 page views
Created January 20, 2012 by Eva Shiu
Modified November 23, 2022 by Irene Delgado
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