First prize at the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE.

Long before connected inhalers were a category, the idea had to prove it was more than an idea. In 2017 Respiro took first prize at the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE's Milestone Awards, carrying it into the next phase of the competition as the year's leading entry.

Respiro puts artificial intelligence behind the sensors on a patient's inhaler. It reads each inhalation, capturing flow rate, flow acceleration, inhaled volume, inspiration time and how the device is handled, then builds on that signal to suggest individualised therapy, flag the risk of an exacerbation early, and help people manage their condition.

The IBM Watson AI XPRIZE was a multi-year global competition to develop AI for the benefit of humanity, with its grand prize awarded on the TED stage.

Originally published 8 December 2017.