Calibre Bio - Wearable Breath Tracker

Explore the full product development journey of the design and engineering of Calibre Biometrcs

Prototype Calibre breath tracker parts: cast housings, grille, circuit board and head strap — Prototype Evolution: Benchmodel to Pre-Production Device

Product Design Requirements

After interviewing over a dozen product design firms, Calibre selected Design 1st to help bring the innovative wearable breath monitor from the lab to manufacturing and launch in the marketplace.

Conduct human factors research to understand sizing for a one-size-fits all headband strap and mask
Develop custom testing verification equipment to calibrate sensors for accurate data
Deliver a functional bluetooth enabled prototype calibrated to accurately measure breath input

Calibre Bio breath tracker mask prototype fitted on a 3D-printed head form — Mannequin head with Calibre Test Equipment

Design and Engineering Challenges

When Calibre came to Design 1st, the first project was an R&D exercise to find out if moving laboratory sensors and monitoring equipment into a consumer wearable device was possible. Once this was confirmed the Design 1st identified and solved several major technical risks to deliver the finished device ready for manufacturing.

How to maintain 14 hours of operating battery life through repeated uses of the device
Solve the issue of air moisture condensation that would impact sensor data during usage
Calibrate sensors to measure real-time metabolic and respiratory biometrics, fifty times per second
Airflow dynamics testing was conducted for facepiece comfort at high breathing rates and detectable pressure at low breathing rates.
A testbed with mannequin heads, bellows pumps and calibrated gas inputs was designed to verify breath measurement accuracy and repeatability.
Human anthropometrics analysis of facial structures and 3D prototype & user testing for face fit was conducted, as well as rigorous user testing and rapid prototyping/bench modeling to create optimal straps

Calibre breath tracker rigid-flex circuit board prototype laid on a stone surface — Calibre PCB Prototype Board

Software Development Challenges

When Design 1st began the embedded software development, the challenge was clear: replicate $100,000 worth of laboratory equipment in a $500 consumer device. The team developed custom firmware that could capture and analyze breath composition fifty times per second, transforming complex sensor data into real-time metabolic insights.

Design 1st solved the complex challenge of capturing accurate metabolic data from multiple sensors while maintaining medical-grade precision in a consumer breath monitoring device through innovative firmware development and automated testing systems.

Split processing across dual core processor: Bluetooth on one, 50Hz metabolic calculations on the other, with 14-hour runtime
Developed parametric model for mixed-chamber breath analysis, achieving 80% accuracy without mechanical valves
Built calibration system using 4% CO2 and 16% O2 reference gases to correct individual unit variations
Created algorithms to adjust O2 readings between 20.7-20.9% based on altitude and temperature
Automated production testing with purpose-built controllers and dashboard visualization tools
Integrated CO2, O2, pressure, and dual humidity sensors sampling at 1Hz for metabolic tracking

Pre-production Calibre breath tracker mask shells, clips and fasteners arranged in rows — First volume production run parts

Product Results

Design 1st helped Calibre set up a robust global supply chain and manufacturing partners and move the final product to market. The result was an award-winning innovative health and fitness device that delivers on the challenging task of taking medical lab sensor equipment into a wearable device.

Calibre won the 2022 A'Design Gold Award, IDA Product Design Award, and Grand Prix Design Award
Calibre successfully launched the product in 2022, and it can be ordered now at: www.calibrebio.com
The Design 1st team continues to support Calibre with manufacturing, assemble, quality control and supply

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Creating the World's First Wearable to Unlock the Data in Your Breath

“Design 1st’s creative, product design, and mechanical engineering services are highly distinctive. The team is intelligent and experienced, and their rapid prototyping and testing capabilities played a pivotal role in shaping our groundbreaking device.”

Udi Meirav CEO and Founder, Calibre Biometrics Inc.