The chemical-sniffing setup will send data to the Web so doctors and patients can get a better sense of what causes attacks.
One out of every 12 people in the U.S. have asthma, and the number of people diagnosed with the chronic and sometimes fatal disease grows each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asthma attacks can be triggered by a variety of inhaled substances, from natural sources including pollen and pet dander as well as chemical compounds such as household cleaners and air pollution. To help people with asthma identify and avoid the chemical irritants that cause asthma attacks, AT&T labs researchers are developing a sensor that can sniff the air for known asthma triggers. Continue reading