BREATHE Steering Committee member and T32 alum, Dr. Alicia Vose, was recently awarded an NIH R41 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant.The grant is a collaboration between the University of Florida (PI: Dr. Alicia Vose) and Novis Products, LLC, a Florida-based, minority-owned small business in Jacksonville, FL. The team also includes co-investigators Dr. Barbara Smith (PHHP) and Maribel Ciampitti (COM-J).
This initiative reflects UF’s strategic aim to expand partnerships between Gainesville and Jacksonville. Dr. Vose, Dr. Smith, and Ms. Ciampitti will focus on evaluating the usability of the prototype respiratory device (RMT Complete) and refining its associated mobile application, which is designed to coach users through their breathing exercises.
The RMT Complete addresses a critical gap in the market with its comprehensive, all-in-one design. This leading-edge device broadens the range of resistance training for both inspiratory and expiratory muscles, while integrating a manometer function to measure maximum pressures without the need for separate, costly instruments. Additionally, it offers real-time visual biofeedback to improve training accuracy and incorporates features for recording and visualizing adherence data, all at a lower cost compared to existing solutions.
The mobile app is a key feature, enabling healthcare providers to remotely monitor whether patients are completing their prescribed exercises, track adherence and improvements in respiratory strength, and update exercise plans as needed. The team will initially study the device’s usability in healthy participants, laying the groundwork for future testing in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While the immediate focus is on developing and refining the device, the broader aim is to provide an affordable and effective way to help patients preserve their respiratory health and maintain functional breathing and airway protection. Congratulations, Dr. Vose!