The handheld device, N-Tidal Diagnose, has been used by Dr Hannah Burke, a respiratory consultant at University Hospital Southampton. The test requires around 75 seconds of normal breathing into the device and could be a simpler alternative to traditional hospital spirometry. Dr Burke said: "One of the biggest challenges we face in COPD is identifying people earlier and making diagnosis more accessible, particularly for those who struggle to attend traditional hospital appointments or complete conventional lung function testing." READ MORE: World-first trial of fridge-free vaccine developed in SouthamptonShe also highlighted that many areas lack the capacity to meet demand for spirometry. Among them was a man with Bell's palsy who had been clinically diagnosed with COPD but unable to complete a spirometry test.