If you know someone who suffers from sleep apnea, you are familiar with CPAP masks, which are worn during sleep.
However, a company in Burlington, Massachusetts, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to create an alternative, a tiny $3 device.
The Airing is the world's first "wireless, tube-free, mask-free micro-CPAP device," as described on its Indiegogo page. The device , which will cost $3 or $0.60 after the safety deposit box is returned, fits in the palm of your hand and has two nozzles that fit comfortably over your nostrils as you sleep.
The key part of Airing is inspiratory ventilation: “As the patient inhales, air enters through the slits, is filtered, and is transported into hundreds of micro-bubbles that create the precise pressure needed in the nasal airway,” according to the company. In other words, the tiny bellows expand and contract inside the device to create enough pressure to keep your throat open, helping to combat sleep apnea and snoring.
The Airing is powered by a zinc-air battery that lasts eight hours. The devices are disposable, though the company will use the funds to research rechargeable capabilities.
The technology is not yet FDA-approved, though the company says it expects FDA approval soon. In a recent interview with the Boston Business Journal, Airing, LLC founder Stephen Marsh said FDA approval could take more than a year. It will require a doctor’s prescription to administer.
For more information, visit the Indiegogo
