Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1543258
30 February 2026 Inhalation within the first second, often before the peak inspi- ratory flow rate is achieved. As a result, much of the airflow may not effectively interact with the pow- dered medication, which can reduce the efficiency of drug delivery to the lungs. To address this ineffi- ciency, our proposed solution introduces a delay in the exposure of the medication to inhalation. is delay mechanism allows the automatic buildup of air pressure, enhancing inspiratory flow, without the need for external energy sources. is design is particularly beneficial for patients with low inspira- tory flow, such as children, which can enable them to achieve sufficient flow to effectively dislodge the medication and deliver it to their lungs. Our design incorporates an automatic magnetic gate to facilitate the buildup and controlled release of air pressure within the device (Figure 2). When a patient inhales through the adaptor, a seal forms between the automatic gate and the lumen of the adaptor, cre- ating a vacuum. As the patient continues to inhale, the increasing pressure differential with atmospheric pressure eventually overcomes the magnetic force holding the gate closed. At this critical point, the gate snaps open, resulting in a burst of airflow at a rate exceeding the threshold required to activate the inhaler. is mechanism can ensure efficient drug delivery while maintaining simplicity and reliability. Currently, patients do not have a method for ensur- ing they have received their entire dose of medi- cation from a DPI because the medication itself is modate children's needs, and incorporating feedback mechanisms to build confidence in proper technique. Our previous human factors study found one of the main concerns that caregivers and patients have is the lack of a reliable method to confirm whether a full dose of medication has been successfully delivered, as current devices offer no feedback mechanism to indicate successful inhalation [16]. As a result, both patients and caregivers cannot determine whether the inhaler has been used correctly. e only way to assess proper use would be by monitoring patient symptoms after inhaler use, which can introduce delays and uncertainty about treatment decisions. is situation not only can complicate disease man- agement but can contribute to increased medication waste and higher healthcare costs. Our survey results showed that a first cohort of care- givers preferred visual (37%) and auditory (23%) feedback, while a second cohort identified a button (50%) as the top choice, followed by sound (25%) and color (25%) [16]. To address these preferences while maintaining the simplicity of DPIs, we devel- oped a button-based feedback mechanism with sound to confirm successful inhalation. We have utilized a mechanism that leverages a patient's maximum inspiratory pressure to generate the flow rate required for effective medication delivery. is approach eliminates the need for complex external energy sources, preserving the simplicity and portabil- ity of DPIs. Recognizing that only a subset of DPI users require assistance with inspiratory flow, we designed an adaptor device as our final solution. is adaptor is an add-on mouthpiece compatible with DPIs and can ensure that users who do not require it would be unaf- fected. e device is intended for school-aged children and the mouthpiece can be tailored to several sizes. Necessary adjustments to the internal mechanisms can be easily made to maintain effective performance. Our initial prototype was developed for the Ellipta ® DPI (GlaxoSmithKline, London, United King- dom). We focused on the Ellipta due to its growing clinical use and medium resistance profile [7, 17, 18]. e adaptor connects directly to the Ellipta and employs a delay-and-release mechanism to ensure sufficient pressure buildup for effective medication delivery (Figure 1). Although our device was initially optimized for the Ellipta, the underlying mechanism is modular and adaptable. Future iterations can be adapted to a vari- ety of DPI platforms by adjusting the pressure thresh- old and chamber volume to match the resistance and flow requirements of different inhaler products, such as the Diskus ® (GlaxoSmithKline) and Turbuhaler ® (AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom). Key mechanism Inhalation through a DPI can last more than three seconds; however, most of the medication is released Figure 1 Computer-aided design (CAD) rendering of the dry powder inhaler (DPI) adaptor device Figure 2 Side profile of the adaptor device attached to a DPI Dry powder inhaler Automatic gate Opened gate indicator Mouthpiece cover Adaptor