How to Connect the Spirometer to PowerLab And LabChart

Our step-by-step guide to connecting the Spirometer with the PowerLab and LabChart set-up.

Overview:

Our Head of Support, Mark de Reus, demonstrates how to connect the Spirometer with a PowerLab for the purpose of recording flow signals in LabChart software.

Equipment Required:
  • BNC cable.
  • USB cable.
  • I-Squared-C cable.
  • PowerLab.
  • Computer with LabChart Software installed.
Hardware Set-Up:
  1. Place the Spirometer next to the PowerLab to prevent thermal drift.
  2. Connect the Spirometer and PowerLab Units using the I-Squared-C input on the Spirometer and the output on the PowerLab.
  3.  Connect the BNC cable to the signal output on the Spirometer.
  4.  Connect the other end of the BNC cable to one of the channels of the PowerLab.
  5.  Connect one side of the USB cable to the PowerLab and the other to the computer with LabChart.
  6.  Connect the power cable and switch on the PowerLab.
  7. Connect the tubes from the flow head to the input ports on the front of the Spirometer.
Software Set-Up:
  1.  Launch your LabChart software.
  2.  The Spirometer should be automatically detected by LabChart.
  3.  The Status LED on the PowerLab should turn green.
  4. Download the Spirometry extension software from the feature manager in LabChart, or from the ADInstruments website.
  5.  Set the number of required channels.
  6.  You can find the Spirometer settings in the dropdown list of the channel it is connected to.
  7.  In the Spirometer dialogue box, you can:
    1.  Set up the range of the input signal
    2.  Set up the required low  filters
    3.  Invert the signal if needed
  8. Once the flow head is ready to be zeroed, click 'Zero' in the Spirometer dialogue box. 
  9. Once you have finished your setup in the dialogue box, click on OK.
  10. Calibrate flow with the Spirometry extension settings in the dropdown list of the channel it is connected to. This can be done by:
    1.  Using preset values for various flow heads, found in the extension settings.
    2.  Using a calibration syringe to manually inject a known volume, and calculating the conversion factor using the extension settings.
  11. Your flow channel is now ready to record airflow in liters per second.
  12. Please see this video if you need guidance on how to calculate other parameters such as minute ventilation and tidal volume.
Further Information: