An asthma attack can be quite scary and even though the reason is often obvious, it is not always so. The fear of having another attack often push people into avoiding venturing into strange and new places which is why this would be good news to everyone.

David Van Sickle from the University of Wisconsin-Madison is heading a study, backed by the US government’s Center for Disease Control, with the intent of creating an Asthmap. The Asthmap would pinpoint locations that have the high risks of triggering an asthma attack. Using GPS technology fitted in the inhalers of volunteer asthmatics, Van Sickle will locate the different locations around campus which trigger the asthmatics attacks. According to Van Sickle, the known triggers don’t explain the prevalence of asthma attacks and that new triggers are being discovered. With the advancement of GPS technology, he expects for the study to be handled better than in the past.

The Asthmap is only one of two project that Van Sickle is handling regarding asthma. A group of his students are in the process of building a less expensive version of a spirometer, to detect lung diseases like asthma, and hope to cut down costs from $1,500 to just $50.

Via: GearCrave