Characterization and Validation of the Second-generation wPUM Topography Monitors

Area of Science:

• Tobacco regulatory science
• Biomedical engineering
• Public health research

Background:

• Limited data exists on natural tobacco product use due to lack of ambulatory monitoring tools.
• Understanding user behavior is crucial for assessing health impacts and establishing standardized testing protocols for emerging products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate four wearable puff topography monitors (wPUM) for cigalike, vapepen, hookah, and cigarette products.
• To assess the reliability of these monitors in natural use environments.

Main Methods:

• Laboratory characterization of wPUM monitors for range, accuracy, and resolution of puffing parameters (flow rate, duration, volume, interpuff gap).
• Repeatability assessment through week-long natural environment monitoring studies with users of various tobacco products.

Main Results:

• Monitors demonstrated valid flow rate ranges for each product type (e.g., 10-100 mL/s for cigalike/cigarette).
• High accuracy was achieved for flow rate (±2 to ±6 mL/s) and short durations/gaps (±0.07 s for 0.2 s).
• Minimal calibration drift observed after one week of natural use (0.1% to 4.7%).

Conclusions:

• The wPUM topography monitors are reliable for assessing natural use behavior across diverse emerging tobacco products.
• Validated natural environment data can inform standardized puffing protocols and regulations for tobacco product assessment.