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Updated: May 26, 2025

Investigation into Deep Breathing through Measurement of Ventilatory Parameters and Observation of Breathing Patterns
Published on: September 16, 2019
Differential Measurement of Involuntary Breathing Movements
Jacob Seman1,2, Carlos Rodriguez Amaro1,2, Lillian Tucker1,3,4
1Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, CO 81501, USA.
Abstract:
Free divers are known to experience a physiological response during extreme breath holding, causing involuntary breathing movements (IBMs). To investigate these movements, a low-cost multi-core ESP32-Pico microcontroller prototype was developed to measure IBMs during a static breath hold. This novel device, called the bioSense, uses a differential measurement between two accelerometers placed on the sternum and the xiphoid process to acquire breathing-related movements. Sensor placement allowed for data acquisition that was posture- and body-shape-agnostic. Sensor placement was also designed to be as non-intrusive as possible and precisely capture breathing movements at configurable sampling rates. Measurements from the device were sent over WiFi to be accessed on a password-protected webserver and backed up to a micro-secure digital (microSD) card. This device was used in a pilot study, where it captured the various phases of breathing experienced by recreational free divers alongside a force plate measurement system for comparison.
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