# Transforming smartphones into active sonar systems to detect opioid overdose

> **NIH NIH R44** · SOUND LIFE SCIENCES, INC. · 2020 · $628,634

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Opioid use disorder (OUD) and mortality from opioid overdose are significant public health concerns. Deaths
from opioid overdose are highly preventable with early detection and administration of naloxone. A key challenge
of the epidemic is that overdose victims often die because they are alone or among untrained or impaired
bystanders and thus do not receive timely resuscitation. There is an urgent, unmet need for a low-barrier, easily
scalable solution that can identify opioid overdoses in real-time and rapidly connect victims to naloxone therapy.
The goal of Sound Life Sciences’ (SLS) Fast-Track proposal is to commercialize an innovative overdose
detection software product that can be downloaded on any commodity smartphone and can detect opioid-
induced respiratory failure (i.e., overdose) and summon help. The software-only product, SecondChance,
converts a smartphone into a short-range active sonar system capable of monitoring breathing and detecting
overdose. SecondChance requires no additional hardware and leverages the native speaker/microphone array
inside the phone and proprietary overdose detection signal processing algorithms. The software enables an
individual to monitor themselves when they are at risk for an overdose and, in the event of an overdose,
SecondChance can summon help, either from a friend or family member or from emergency medical services
(EMS). Sound Life Sciences’ long-term goal is to keep individuals with OUD safe until they are able to access
treatment and achieve durable recovery. In Phase I of this Fast-Track application, SLS will convert the
SecondChance prototype (for which feasibility has been established) into a minimum viable product (MVP) based
on rapid iteration guided by feedback and usability testing. In Phase II, using human factors engineering
approaches, SLS will complete the SecondChance System and systematically validate each component: the
patient monitoring app, the HIPAA-compliant data collection and storage infrastructure, and the emergency
services integration. The Phase II studies will culminate in a 510(k) submission to the FDA. The SecondChance
System will be marketed to naloxone manufacturers, local governments and people with OUD to ensure rapid
dissemination to at-risk individuals. Given the number of people with OUD and costs associated with opioid
overdose, there is a substantial market for the SecondChance System.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10133360
- **Project number:** 4R44DA050339-02
- **Recipient organization:** SOUND LIFE SCIENCES, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Thurman Gillespy
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $628,634
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10133360

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10133360, Transforming smartphones into active sonar systems to detect opioid overdose (4R44DA050339-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10133360. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*