Over 1.5 million Americans are prescribed supplemental oxygen for a range of medical conditions. Although there are different options available for how outpatients receive supplemental oxygen, the issues associated with the therapeutic goals and optimal use of home oxygen continue to be assessed and are not considered solved. Patients consistently express concerns around the following issues: having an oxygen supply be lighter and more portable, making it last longer, and ensuring that they get the amount (“flow rate”) that is needed. To address these issues, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is sponsoring the Air You Wear Challenge – a two phase challenge with a total prize purse of $500,000. The goal of this challenge is to broadly stimulate research and development of processes and technologies that actively address the different outpatient issues associated with use of supplemental oxygen. If you have actionable ideas for how to improve the portability, flow rate, or duration of home oxygen supplies, we want to hear about them.
Partner Organization: National Institutes of Health
Awards: $500,000 in total prizes
Open Date: Phase 1 – June 24, 2021; Phase 2 – November 30, 2021
Close Date: Phase 1 – September 14, 2021; Phase 2 – June 29, 2022
For more information, visit: https://www.herox.com/AirYouWear