FRIENDS GUI: A Graphical User Interface for Data Collection and Visualization of Vaping Behavior from a Passive Vaping Monitor

Shehan Irteza Pranto; Brett Fassler; Md Rafi Islam; Ashley Schenkel; Larry W. Hawk; Edward Sazonov

doi:10.5334/jors.613

FRIENDS GUI: A Graphical User Interface for Data Collection and Visualization of Vaping Behavior from a Passive Vaping Monitor

Journal of Open Research Software

Volume 14 (2026): Issue 1

By: Shehan Irteza Pranto , Brett Fassler , Md Rafi Islam , Ashley Schenkel , Larry W. Hawk and Edward Sazonov

Open Access

|Apr 2026

Abstract

Understanding puffing topography (PT), which includes puff duration, intra-puff interval, and puff count per session, is critical for evaluating Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) use, toxicant exposure, and informing regulatory decisions. We developed FRIENDS (Flexible Robust Instrumentation of ENDS), an open-source device that can be attached to ENDS and records puffing and touching events. This paper introduces the FRIENDS graphical user interface (GUI) that improves accessibility and interpretability of data collected by FRIENDS. The GUI is a Python-based open-source tool that extracts, decodes, and visualizes 24-hour puffing data from the FRIENDS device. Validation using 24-hour experimental data confirmed accurate timestamp conversion, reliable event decoding, and effective behavioral visualization. The software is freely available on GitHub for public use.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/jors.613 | Journal eISSN: 2049-9647

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Language: English

Submitted on: Aug 14, 2025

Accepted on: Mar 24, 2026

Published on: Apr 7, 2026

Published by: Ubiquity Press

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

Keywords:

Graphical User Interface,

Vaping Behavior,

Wearable Sensors,

Visualization

© 2026 Shehan Irteza Pranto, Brett Fassler, Md Rafi Islam, Ashley Schenkel, Larry W. Hawk, Edward Sazonov, published by Ubiquity Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 14 (2026): Issue 1