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This image from video provided by the University of Washington in January 2019 shows a demonstration of the smartphone app developed by Rajalakshmi Nandakumar, Shyamnath Gollakota and Jacob E. Sunshine that uses sound waves to measure breathing. In first-step testing reported Wednesday, Jan. 9 the device detected early breathing problems in some people who’d just injected illegal drugs. (Mark Stone/University of Washington via AP)

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WASHINGTON — Too often people die of an opioid overdose because no one's around to notice they're in trouble. Now scientists are creating a smartphone app that beams sound waves to measure breathing — and summon help if it stops.

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer January 9, 2019