A respiration monitoring system includes a thermoelectric generator that may be mounted within a mask enclosure or free-standing, covering all or part of the nose and/or mouth of a subject. A first temperature sensor is attached to the thermoelectric generator for measuring the subject's breath. A power controller develops a difference between a preset temperature and the subject's breath temperature that is then inserted into a feedback error signal and then into a power controller which regulates the power to the thermoelectric generator to maintain a preset temperature.
