A new study will examine whether wearable technology can be used to measure cough and lung sounds to predict exacerbations in people living with COPD.
According to a news release, the study is being funded by Strados Labs, a medical technology company specializing in respiratory care through wearable technologies, using the company’s FDA 510(k) cleared RESP Biosensor.
The project, “Study on Home Obstructive Respiratory Exacerbations (SHORE),” will take place at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital and its affiliated outpatient pulmonary clinics. Enrollment began in January 2026 targeting up to 20 adults with COPD.
The study will evaluate whether continuous, passive monitoring of cough and lung sounds using a stethoscope-based wearable device can help extend respiratory assessments into the home with the goal of preventing unnecessary hospital readmissions.
Led by Sadia Benzaquen, MD, chair of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital, the study will follow patients for 90 days after hospital discharge or post-exacerbation outpatient follow-up. The primary objective is to assess the feasibility of remote lung sound monitoring, including patient adherence, compliance and retention.
The secondary objectives will explore associations between data captured by the RESP Biosensor — including cough frequency, wheeze, rhonchi and respiratory rate — and standard measures of COPD symptom burden.
“Home monitoring has already shown promise in improving self-management and detecting exacerbations,” Dr. Benzaquen said. “This study will provide additional information to determine if this technology could offer a simpler and more continuous way to keep patients and providers informed in real time.”
The RESP Biosensor will be used to measure cough and lung sounds during sleep as well as during structured breathing and exertional activities. Data will be transferred via a companion mobile phone app to a secure cloud platform for analysis alongside standard measures including pulmonary function tests and questionnaire results.
