AirwayLab vs OSCAR: Which CPAP Analysis Tool Do You Need?
AirwayLab reads your SD card and scores every night automatically in the browser — flow limitation, composite metrics, the trend over time — with the waveform behind each flag a click away. OSCAR is a free, open-source desktop viewer for CPAP waveforms, and it is genuinely good at that job. Here is how the two differ.
What OSCAR Does Well
OSCAR is a mature, reliable desktop application with a loyal community and features built over many years:
- Interactive waveform browsing with zoom, pan, and event marking at breath-by-breath resolution
- Multi-device supportincluding ResMed, Philips, F&P, and others
- Long-term historical data stored locally with trend views spanning months and years
- Detailed event logs showing individual apnea, hypopnea, and leak events on a timeline
- Active community on ApneaBoard.com with years of shared knowledge and support
OSCAR is dense and powerful at manual waveform inspection: you can zoom into a specific 30-second window and step through individual breaths one at a time. That interactive browsing is what it was built for.
What AirwayLab Adds
AirwayLab processes the same raw data through four research-grade analysis engines and tells you what it means:
Automated Flow Limitation Scoring
Four independent engines (Glasgow Index, WAT, NED, Oximetry) analyse every breath for flow limitation. You get composite scores instead of visually scanning thousands of breaths yourself.
Progressive Effort Patterns
AirwayLab's NED engine identifies sequences of flow-limited breaths that end in arousals, estimating a RERA index and Respiratory Disturbance Index that OSCAR cannot compute.
Glasgow Index
A 9-component breath shape scoring system that synthesises thousands of breaths into a single actionable score. Track it over time to see how your breathing patterns change across nights.
Browser-Based
No installation required. Upload your SD card from any device with a browser. All analysis runs locally in a Web Worker -- your data never leaves your device.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | OSCAR | AirwayLab |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive waveform zoom | Yes | Viewer only |
| Multi-device support | Yes | ResMed + BMC, growing |
| Long-term data storage | Yes | 30-day local cache |
| Flow limitation scoring | No | 4 engines |
| Effort-pattern analysis | No | Yes (NED) |
| Glasgow Index | No | Yes |
| Oximetry analysis | Basic | 17 metrics |
| AI-powered insights | No | Yes (opt-in) |
| Runs in browser | No (desktop) | Yes |
| Privacy | Local files | Browser-only |
| Open-source engine | Yes | Yes (GPL-3.0) |
| Cost | Free | Free core |
Using Both Tools Together
Plenty of people run both. A workflow that uses each for what it is quickest at:
1. Start with AirwayLab for the big picture
Upload your SD card, get your Glasgow Index, FL Score, RERA estimate, and Estimated Arousal Index. These composite metrics tell you whether flow limitation is a problem and how severe it is. The traffic light system makes interpretation straightforward.
2. Zoom into the specifics
If AirwayLab flags elevated flow limitation in the second half of the night (H2), open that session in the AirwayLab viewer and zoom into the waveform to see the events and patterns behind the score. OSCAR's desktop viewer covers the same job offline if that is already where you work.
3. Track the trend after a change
After a pressure or EPR change, monitor your AirwayLab metrics across nights. If a metric shifts significantly, confirm it by inspecting representative waveforms. This gives you both statistical confidence and visual verification.
When to Use Each Tool
AirwayLab fits when you...
- Want automated flow limitation analysis
- Need a quick summary without manual waveform review
- Want metrics beyond AHI (Glasgow, NED, RERA)
- Prefer browser-based tools with no installation
- Want AI-powered insights about your patterns
- Need exportable reports for your clinician
OSCAR fits when you...
- Need to browse individual waveforms interactively
- Use a device AirwayLab does not read yet
- Want years of historical data in one view
- Prefer a desktop application
- Already know how to read flow waveforms
- Need to cross-reference machine-flagged events
Privacy: Both Tools Get It Right
Both OSCAR and AirwayLab keep your data under your control. OSCAR stores everything locally on your computer. AirwayLab processes everything in your browser using Web Workers, and no data leaves your device unless you explicitly opt in to features like AI insights or community data contribution.
OSCAR is open source, and AirwayLab publishes its analysis engine under GPL-3.0, so the code that reads and scores your data can be inspected. This is notable compared to proprietary tools like myAir and SleepHQ that upload your health data to corporate servers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Switching is not really the choice. AirwayLab adds automated flow limitation scoring, progressive effort-pattern analysis and composite metrics that OSCAR does not compute, and it opens the waveform behind any of them in the browser. OSCAR is a desktop viewer for interactive inspection, and it reads more devices today.
No. AirwayLab supports ResMed AirSense 10 and 11, AirCurve 10 and 11, and BMC Luna 2 / RESmart G2 and G3, and the list is growing. OSCAR supports more manufacturers today; if your device is not supported yet, the AirwayLab upload screen lets you tell us so we can prioritise it.
Not directly. Both tools read from the same source: your ResMed SD card. Upload the same DATALOG folder to AirwayLab that you use with OSCAR. There is no need to export/import between them.
Both read the same SD card data, and AirwayLab renders the same flow waveform in the browser. OSCAR displays the raw waveform and machine-reported events; AirwayLab shows that waveform and adds computed metrics (Glasgow Index, FL Score, NED, RERA estimates) using published research methodologies. Both are accurate at what they report.
Learn More
OSCAR vs AirwayLab: A Deeper Dive -- full blog post exploring the relationship between both tools.
Beyond AHI: Why Your Sleep Apnea Score Might Be Misleading You -- the research case for metrics beyond AHI.
AirwayLab Methodology -- detailed documentation of all four analysis engines.
Try AirwayLab Free
Upload your ResMed SD card and get flow limitation analysis in minutes. No installation, no account required, 100% private.
Medical Disclaimer
AirwayLab is not a medical device and is not FDA-cleared or CE-marked. It is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The analysis results should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult qualified healthcare providers regarding your sleep therapy and any changes to PAP settings.