December 6, 2022By Lance Baily

Innov2Learn Launches Colorimetric CO2 Detector Simulator

On a mission to provide healthcare workers with the best training, the company Innov2Learn produces realistic, user-friendly, and environmentally conscious healthcare simulation devices. Designed, manufactured, and assembled in Canada, these products help ensure that the next generation of medical professionals is equipped to face the challenges associated with careers in healthcare. To meet this mission, Innov2Learn recently launched the world’s first colorimetric CO2 detector simulator. This HealthySimulation.com article explains what a colorimetric carbon dioxide detector simulator is, and how Innov2Learn’s product directly benefits clinical simulation learners.

Ultimately, a colorimetric CO2 detector is an apparatus that is mainly used by healthcare clinicians to confirm proper endotracheal tube placement and follows patient breathing status by assessing exhaled CO2, and thus proper oxygenation of the patient. The device provides visual information on the patient’s breathing rate and CO2 content. In some models, the detector goes from beige color when the patient is exhaling with CO2 content. The detector may also transition to purple when the patient is inhaling and the CO2 content is low.

Depending on the pattern and timing observed and the intensity of the colors, the detector provides different indications on the status of the patient and/or the positioning of the endotracheal tube. Used with other techniques such as auscultation of the belly with a stethoscope, concluding that the endotracheal tube is misplaced and, for example, went in the stomach instead of the respiratory line, is possible.


Sponsored Content:


As healthcare workers (including nurses) require training to gain and maintain their skillset, they can greatly benefit from knowing how to use a colorimetric CO2 detector in different contexts and scenarios. They should also learn how to combine the detector with other patient state assertion techniques. This became especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic, where this procedure is ubiquitous.

Sadly, using a real colorimetric CO2 detector for training is not ideal as learning scenarios can’t be easily recreated. This is because real patient health conditions cannot be easily controlled in a manner suited to training.

Patient simulation devices that can recreate a patient state with CO2 exhaling exist to some extent, but are very expensive and not suited to actors playing the role of patients. Yet, the Innov2Learn simulator enables realistic simulation of the endotracheal intubation procedure, without any training flow break.

“In those times of the pandemic, the need for training tools for oxygenation technic has been highlighted as never before. After receiving a constant flow of requests, often from our most dedicated users, we came up with this one-of-a-kind device. Although we do not discuss the relevance of high technologies such as Robotic, AR, and VR, we also strongly believe that breakthroughs often hide in the simplicity of a solution. That is why Innov2Learn is coming up today with a hardware CO2 detector simulator that can bring a scene to life on the push of a button, without any prior setup,” said Hami Monsarrat-Chanon, CTO at Innov2Learn.


Sponsored Content:


Colorimetric CO2 Detector Simulator Scenario Use

The Innov2Learn product involves a system comprising a colorimetric CO2 detector simulator and a managing software application running on a host device used together for training nurses and other healthcare workers. The host device can be a smartphone, a tablet, or a computer, and the colorimetric CO2 detector simulator feels and looks like a real colorimetric CO2 detector. However, the sequence of colors the detector shows, and the intensities of those colors, are controlled by commands received over Bluetooth BLE from a host device.

This host runs Innov2Learn’s “Medical Simulation” application and is used by the healthcare simulation manager/trainer to decide what behavior the CO2 detector is going to exhibit. The trainer may be hiding behind a mirror glass in a connected room from where he observes and conducts the exercises. Note that the same “Medical Simulation” app is also used to control all other Innov2Learn simulators.



The trainee must learn how to react to specific color sequences presented by the colorimetric CO2 detector simulator in different contexts. Those color sequences depend on the healthcare simulation scenario and might change over time. The learner must also learn how to combine the colorimetric CO2 detector interpretation with complementary patient state and tube placement determination techniques, and how to install and manipulate the CO2 detector. The CO2 Detector simulator recreates different conditions, including “Successful tracheal intubation,” “Poor perfusion,” “insufficient tidal volume,” “cardiac arrest,” “oesophageal intubation,” or “broken detector.”

More About Innov2Learn

Innov2Learn’s story began in 2015 when a challenge was initiated by the CHUM (Hospital Center at Montreal’s University) to design a remote-controlled glucometer simulator for medical training. Mike Boutin, who founded Innov2Learn, was completing a program in electronics and robotics and wanted to devote his time and effort to a project that would be useful to others.

After meeting with the CHUM‘s clinical simulation specialists, he returned to school and worked day and night until the end of the project four months later. Ultimately, the solution he created met their expectations and CHUM purchased the technology.

Boutin’s school followed suit after seeing the prototype in action, purchasing several devices for its nursing program. With many units sold and convincing proof of concept, Innov2Learn was taking shape. Today, the company combines technology and education to help healthcare professionals reach their full potential. Since 2015, Innov2Learn has built a wide range of realistic devices, developing products that can be controlled remotely via Bluetooth

Learn More About the Innov2Learn CO2 Detector Simulator


Sponsored Content: