VacuMed’s Universal Ventilation Meter supports pulmonary function testing, stress testing, and metabolic nutritional assessments.


RT’s Three Key Takeaways:

  1. Versatile Physiological Applications: The device is designed for a range of studies, including pulmonary function testing, exercise metabolic measurements, and metabolic nutritional assessments.
  2. Stable Measurement Technology: The system utilizes a turbine transducer that requires no warm-up or calibration and remains resistant to zero or gain drift.
  3. Integrated Data Management: Multiple simultaneous signal outputs and optional Windows-based software allow for real-time waveform display and integration with data acquisition systems.


VacuMed‘s Universal Ventilation (Gas Flow) Meter (UVM) is a microprocessor-based device for precision electronic gas flow and volume measurements in laboratory settings.

The UVM is intended for use in several physiological studies, including pulmonary function testing, exercise metabolic measurements, stress testing, and metabolic nutritional assessment. The device is designed to replace mechanical gas meters, rolling seal spirometers, and water-sealed spirometers, according to VacuMed.

The instrument uses a turbine transducer developed for precision uni-directional and bi-directional gas flow measurements in the educational, healthcare, and research fields. According to the company, the transducer is known for accuracy, stability of calibration, and easy interfacing with personal computers (PC) and data acquisition systems. The device requires no warm-up or calibration and is resistant to zero or gain drift and changes in gas concentration.

Equipped with a programmable 8-digit liquid crystal display (LCD) counter, the UVM can show inspired or expired tidal volume, accumulated volume, and flow rates. It provides multiple simultaneous signal outputs, including analog, transistor-transistor logic (TTL) pulses, and RS232.

The UVM features a volume measurement accuracy of +/- 1.5% and a flow measurement accuracy of +/- 0.5% at steady flow, according to the manufacturer. For advanced data management, an optional Windows-based software package is available for real-time waveform display. This software allows users to view tidal waveforms, flow-volume loops, and accumulated volumes, with the ability to export data to spreadsheet or database programs.

The software also permits manual input of temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity to facilitate automatic calculations for body temperature, ambient pressure, saturated (BTPS) and standard temperature, pressure, dry (STPD) conditions, the company stated.

Source

  1. https://respiratory-therapy.com/products-treatment/monitoring-treatment/patient-monitoring-products/products-2025-measurement-monitoring/
  2. https://vacumed.com/products/metabolic-measurement-systems/uvm/uvm-universal-ventilation-gas-flow-meter-bi-directional/