<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-07-08T08:44:08Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/221BDC2E-9930-4BD3-9C43-342B3A0973D8" ns1:id="221BDC2E-9930-4BD3-9C43-342B3A0973D8"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/7E54B641-7534-4854-86F4-CE2F02EC5244" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/595276FC-1ABD-4B3E-9937-8991AF541836" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/595276FC-1ABD-4B3E-9937-8991AF541836" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2026-03-30T23:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/E1C63763-CA8C-4011-BDBE-C69B1F3B0950" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2025-03-31T23:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">10144391</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>Design and usability test of age-stratified afloPaediatric apps connected to the aflo asthma management device and platform</ns2:title><ns2:status>Closed</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Collaborative R&amp;D</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>Innovate UK</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>**Globally asthma is the most common non-communicable disease in children,** with about 10-15% having asthma symptoms in the last year. Inhaled medication is the mainstay of treatment but **inhaler technique errors amongst all users and all devices are highly prevalent**. Evidence shows **high asthma prevalence in children in the UK with 1.1 million children on active asthma treatment**. Being born into poor circumstances increases the risk of developing asthma by 70% (NIHR). The **UK has the worst death rate for asthma in children and young people aged between 10 and 24 in Europe (Asthma+LungUK)**_._ The **Life Sciences Vision Respiratory Mission priorities describe the global need 'to significantly reduce the number of attacks, hospitalisations and deaths_',_ to develop 'better monitoring technologies_'_ and for '_more effective treatment options for asthma, particularly children and young adults_'.**

Kennedy (2022) showed that **only 13% of children with asthma presenting at ED/ admitted had correct inhaler technique**. Poor adherence and **incorrect inhaler technique are significant drivers of poor symptom control** (McCrossan et al 2022).

NICE guidelines **(NG80) recommend inhaler technique should be trained and reviewed annually to optimise medication and improve symptom control**. This is **unachievable** in the current pathway for capacity and technology reasons.

Over the last 3 years, with the support of previous IUK awards **this project team has successfully co-designed, built, patented and clinically tested the functionality of a deep tech respiratory platform, aflo, for adult inhaler users**, to medical device standards. It was **co-designed with users to automate all steps of the UK Inhaler Group recommended inhaler technique**, to **improve outcomes, allow remote monitoring, reduce healthcare utilisation**.

Our trial data shows that a **paediatric specific platform is needed to optimise medication**. Post Covid capacity issues have resulted in limited access to in-person primary care support for inhaler technique training and patient review. The **primary goal of this research proposal is to address the well recognised challenge of establishing persistent correct inhaler technique for children with asthma**. Through this R&amp;amp;D we will **co-design with children, carers and clinicians, and test 3 personalised, age-stratified apps - afloPaediatrics - integrated with the latest sensor technology in the aflo device, delivering a data driven approach to inhaler technique training and clinical monitoring**. This will embed correct inhaler technique and **support a new data driven, hybrid asthma care pathway for children**, which supports the NHS Net Zero target, reducing high carbon Short Acting Beta Agonist over-reliance.</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>