The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) part of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, is responsible for developing and procuring technology to protect the nation against national and man-made threats.
BARDA’s “Division of Research, Innovation, and Ventures” referred to as “BARDA DRIVe” https://drive.hhs.gov utilizes public/private partnerships to stimulate innovation through their DRIVe Accelerator Network. DRIVe partners with companies and teams to offer solutions to a broad range of national health security threats.
“BARDA DRIVe” launched in 2018, has partnered with Sound Life Sciences (SLS) https://www.soundlifesci.com, a startup company, located in Seattle Washington. The company is a digital therapeutics company that builds clinically validated software for mobile and smart phones that can detect dangerous changes in breathing to help patients with COPD.
The smart speaker is designed to monitor breathing at frequencies that people do not hear. By using SLS’s technology, respiratory changes can be an early indicator of acute respiratory infection and makes it possible to detect changes earlier.
The smart speakers can be positioned up to about two meters away and are capable of monitoring individuals while they sleep. Significant changes from baseline breathing patterns result in smartphone or telehealth notifications.
DRIVe and SLS are working together as a public-private partnership with DRIVe contributing $746,815 of the total estimated $1,066,880 project cost. SLS will provide the remaining development costs.
Go to https://www.phe.gov/about/barda/pages/default.aspx for more information on BARDA.