What is Rafi-Tone?
Rafi-Tone is an interactive game developed to make using a spacer more fun. Combining the latest technology with a liberal dose of fun and colour, it has been shown to make spacer use more enjoyable.
It can be really difficult to persuade children to do things at the best of times, but when it comes to taking medication it’s an area no one wants to compromise on. We know that many of them feel anxious about inhaling their asthma medication via a spacer – especially when a mask needs to be held over their face. This can lead to stress and anxiety for the whole family. Rafi-Tone can help.
Conceived by a clinician and parent experiencing just these problems with his own son, Rafi-Tone works with an Able Spacer which comes with an innovative whistle mask and uses well researched gamification principles.
Read on to find out more about how it works and how you can get it.
How does Rafi-Tone work?
In order to use a spacer and mask to successfully deliver the medication, a firm seal between the mask and the child’s face needs to be achieved. The child then needs to breathe in steadily, in order to open the valve of the spacer and release the medication.
Rafi-Tone can be downloaded on to a smartphone or tablet. When the Able Spacer/Whistle mask is used effectively you and your child will hear a whistle. The Rafi-Tone app listens for this specific whistle and activates the cartoon in the game, keeping your child engaged and reassuring you that the spacer is being used well.
The app also incorporates a useful tracker feature which automatically logs when the game has been played allowing you to keep a diary of the use of the inhaler. It is also possible to manually add additional data, including personalised notes – meaning there is a complete record – even if you haven’t used Rafi-Tone.
Multi-platform
The Rafi-Tone app works on mobiles and tablets with Android or iOS operating systems in conjunction with the Able Spacer and innovative whistle mask – conceived by Clement Clarke International – a company with a long history of producing respiratory devices. The Able Spacer can be prescribed by doctors and nurses or purchased over the counter at pharmacies. For more information about Able Spacer see here.
How do I use Rafi-Tone?
1: Download the app
Once you have your Able Spacer/ whistle mask set it up following the instructions, search for and download Rafi-Tone or Rafi-Tone INT from the Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
If Rafi-Tone or Rafi-Tone INT is not yet available in your country and you would like to use it then please get in touch with us.
2: Open the app on your tablet or mobile phone
On first use, Rafi-Tone will take you through a check to ensure it can access your device’s microphone and is recognising the whistle in your mask.
Please carry out this check without administering medication.
If at any time you are concerned about the whistle detection you can revisit this screen from the settings menu.
3: Work through the Demo
The short demo will show you how to use all features of the app – you can easily access this again at any time from the information 
menu.
4: Introduce your child to the Rafi-Tone app
Before giving your child their inhaler show them Rafi-Tone and select ‘Play Game’. Show them how they should make a whistling sound from the mask and that this will help Rafi the Robot overcome his challenge.
When it’s time to take the inhaler, find a quiet environment with little noise or other distractions. Encourage your child to use the spacer whilst watching the screen.
Your privacy
The Rafi-Tone app requires permission to access the device microphone to detect when a tone signal is heard from specific masks or other specific tone generators. There is no other use of the microphone data. No microphone data is stored, transmitted or disclosed to the developer or other parties by this app.
The app has an Inhaler Tracker feature which automatically provides an indication as to when the game has been played. It is also possible to manually add additional data, including personalised notes. The data stored in the Inhaler Tracker is not transmitted or disclosed to other parties (including the developer) by this app. The data may be exported by the user at their own discretion. All data persists only within the app on the device.
No personal, sensitive or identifiable information is stored, transmitted or disclosed to the developer or other parties by this app.
For full information on how we protect and manage your data please view our company Privacy Policy.
Extra information
Rafi-Tone is classified as a medical device accessory under the Medical Device Regulation (EU) 2017/745 and has a CE mark to demonstrate it conforms to the regulations.
In areas outside the EU where Rafi-Tone is available the app does not meet the definition of a medical device or accessory. In these countries Rafi-Tone INT is available. It is built to the same standard as Rafi-Tone and has the same features but you will not see the CE mark.
We do not claim any clinical benefit from the use of Rafi-Tone. Rafi-Tone should not be relied upon to give treatments or used to judge or modify treatments, which should always be according to guidance by a healthcare professional and under adult supervision.
More information and instructions for use can be found in the app or may be downloaded here:
- RAFI TONE instructions – en
- RAFI TONE instructions – fr
- RAFI TONE Anweisungen – de
- RAFI TONE instruktioner – sv
- RAFI TONE Instruksjoner – no
- RAFI TONE INT information – English
For previous versions of these instructions please see here.
To obtain a paper version of these instructions please contact us at info@clin-e-cal.com
