M3*
Optical Lung Function Measurement by Non-Invasive Chest Motion Tracking
Prof. Christian Dullin, MPI for Multidisciplinary Sciences, and University Medicine Göttingen; Prof. Frauke Alves, MPI for Multidisciplinary Sciences; Dr Angelika Svetlove, European Molecular Biology Laboratory
Max-Planck-Innovation GmbH
Challenge
Reliable assessment of lung function remains challenging in small animals, infants, and non-compliant or critically ill patients. Established techniques such as spirometry, plethysmography, and imaging-based approaches rely on subject cooperation, physical contact, or anaesthesia, and may be contraindicated in post-operative patients or individuals with elevated blood pressure. In addition, different methodologies are typically used in preclinical and clinical settings, limiting data comparability. These constraints reduce measurement reliability, hinder longitudinal studies, and impair translational validity between animal models and humans. Therefore, there is a clear need for a non-invasive, contact-free, and translatable method for lung function assessment.
Technology
The technology introduces a non-invasive optical method and apparatus for lung function assessment based on structured light projection and stereo imaging. A projector illuminates the chest with a pattern of optical markers, which are simultaneously captured from at least two viewing angles by a stereo-camera system during spontaneous breathing. Each marker is uniquely encoded using a sequence of optical patterns, enabling robust identification and tracking across camera views without the need for breath-hold manoeuvres or subject compliance. Marker trajectories are reconstructed in 2D and 3D and combined to generate a high-temporal-resolution (≥30 fps) 4D representation of chest surface motion. From this reconstruction, quantitative lung and chest function parameters are extracted, including temporal breathing metrics, regional chest motion, diaphragm dynamics, tidal volume surrogates, and disease-relevant functional indicators. Marker size, spacing, density, and luminance can be adapted to subject size, enabling the same measurement principle to be applied across mice, infants, and adult humans.
Commercial Opportunity
The system enables rapid, contact-free, and repeatable lung function measurements without ionising radiation or invasive procedures. It is highly suited for preclinical drug development, phenotyping of respiratory disease models, and clinical monitoring of patients unable to perform conventional lung function tests, including infants, intensive care patients, and the elderly. Applying a unified measurement approach across species improves translational robustness and reduces experimental complexity. The technology is well positioned for commercialisation as a standalone optical measurement system with dedicated analysis software for research and clinical use.
Development Status
Prototype hardware and software are fully operational. The method has been validated in vivo in mouse models of asthma and pulmonary fibrosis, demonstrating strong correlations with µCT, X-ray lung function measurements, histology, and bronchoalveolar lavage markers. High-resolution 4D chest motion analysis and disease-specific breathing signatures have been established. Technical feasibility for human application has been demonstrated; clinical validation studies are pending.
Patent Situation
WO patent application WO2025172402A1 protects the method and apparatus for optical, non-invasive chest and lung function assessment, including optical marker encoding, stereo tracking, and 4D motion reconstruction.
Further Reading
WO2025172402A1
