Experimental App Might Spot Drug Overdoses in Time to Help

Experimental App Might Spot Drug Overdoses in Time to Help
This image from video provided by the University of Washington in January 2019 shows a demonstration of the smartphone app developed by Rajalakshmi Nandakumar, Shyamnath Gollakota and Jacob E. Sunshine that uses sound waves to measure breathing. Mark Stone/University of Washington via AP
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Too often people die of an opioid overdose because no one’s around to notice they’re in trouble. Now scientists are creating a smartphone app that beams sound waves to measure breathing — and summon help if it stops.

The app is still experimental. But in a novel test, the “Second Chance” app detected early signs of overdose in the critical minutes after people injected heroin or other illegal drugs, researchers reported Jan. 9.