Current CF treatment uses a bulky, uncomfortable vest to pound the chest until mucus is loosened and expelled. Kids with CF have described this treatment as “the worst part of their day,” as it makes them feel stuck, tethered to a loud and uncomfortable machine. It is isolating and boredom-inducing, making them less likely to do this necessary treatment.

It has been clinically proven that 40-Hz soundwaves are as effective as traditional airway clearance vests. The 40-Hz soundwave matches the harmonic resonance of mucus, liquifying hard mucus so it can migrate to larger airways and be coughed out. We needed to apply this proven science to an experience that kids not only could endure but would enjoy.

SICK BEATS by Woojer is the world’s first music-powered airway clearance vest for CF using the clinically proven modality of soundwave therapy to merge the music kids love with the daily treatment they need, all on the Spotify platform. Starting with Woojer’s consumer vest, we designed a new haptic vest for CF use—adding additional transducers, optimizing lung placement, and boosting the 40 Hz output. We also re-tuned the SICK BEATS processor to enhance the 40 Hz range for maximum airway clearance.

Next, we needed to curate music kids would listen to. Unfortunately, there is no open source of data depicting the pitch frequencies within songs.

To identify songs with the 40 Hz tone, we needed to develop a means for massive data analysis and collection. We searched the millions of songs on the Spotify platform across a range of data variables, including genre, popularity, energy, track length, and lyrical content.

We built an AI-enabled sniffer that applied a unique combination of algorithmic solutions, YIN and AMDF, and an AI-Based Neural Network Solution to determine if those songs contained 40 Hz frequencies that met our established threshold.

Those songs were then used to build Spotify playlists that kids could access based on their musical preference and mood, or kids could create their own playlists. The result was the curation of thousands of songs that would meet the needs of both the treatment and the kids using the SICK BEATS vest.

Simply put, the availability of popular music that appealed to kids and could also provide a life-saving treatment experience was the breakthrough the CF community had been waiting for.