GPS trackers are great for tracking packages, cars, and even people and pets to monitor their whereabouts and ensure their safety. But can the trackers be used to actually study and improve our health? The creators of Asthmapolis think so.
At first glance, it may not seem that GPS tracking can really help asthma patients in many more ways than helping them locate a missing asthma inhaler or helping to navigate the best way to a medical facility. But when a network of GPS trackers are used to track and locate every time an inhaler is used, it provides a lot of useful information to doctors.
With a record of the location and time when every inhaler is used, doctors can determine the frequency of asthma attacks, what time of day are they most severe, and triggers that cause the attacks. Scientists and doctors also benefit from this data because they can see which areas and at what times people experience the most asthma attacks and study what might be causing them.