Apparatus and method for the measurement of the aerodynamics of olfaction in animals and man

• US 20030130568A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auburn University
• Original Assignee: Auburn University
• Inventors: Vodyanoy, Vitaly J., Morrison, Edward E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,979,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/303
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/02 Training or exercising equipment, e.g. mazes or labyrinths for animals A01K15/04 takes precedence; Electric shock devices circuits therefor H03K3/537; Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4017 Evaluating sense of taste
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise

Abstract

A system and method for observing, collecting and analyzing olefactory characteristics of a human or animal subject, such as sniffing, breathing and respiratory patterns and sounds. Example applications include the evaluation and training of dogs for explosive and drug detection, clinical diagnostics, scientific research, and identification.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring olefactory characteristics of a subject, the system comprising a transmitting microphone for attachment at or near a nasal region of the subject, a receiver for receiving a signal from the microphone, and a recorder for recording data corresponding to the signal received by the receiver.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a harness for attaching the microphone to the nasal region of the subject.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying data corresponding to olefactory characteristics of the subject.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a breath chemistry analyzer.

5. A method for monitoring olefactory characteristics of a subject, said method comprising the steps of attaching a microphone at or adjacent a nasal region of the subject, presenting at least one olefactory stimulus to the subject, receiving signals from the microphone corresponding to the olefactory characteristics of the subject, and recording data corresponding to the olefactory characteristics of the subject as a function of the presentation of the at least one olefactory stimulus.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising monitoring states of sniffing by a dog subject, including a first state of searching for a target olefactory stimulus and a second state wherein the dog subject is presented with the target olefactory stimuli.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising monitoring long-range detection of olefactory stimuli by a dog subject wherein sniff patterns of the subject change to alert a handler of the dog subject of the presence of a specific materials.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of monitoring breathing and the respiratory extent and rate of the subject.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of monitoring a respiratory dysfunction in the subject.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising conducting a chemical analysis of exhaled breath of the subject.

11. A method of evaluating at least one sniffing characteristic of an animal trained to identify a target material, said method comprising:

attaching a microphone at or adjacent a nasal region of the animal to detect the at least one sniffing characteristic of the animal; and

monitoring the at least one sniffing characteristic detected by the microphone.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing the detected sniffing characteristics to desired sniffing characteristics.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the animal is a dog.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the target material is an explosive and/or drugs.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one sniffing characteristic is sniffing frequency, sniffing amplitude, breathing frequency, breathing amplitude, and/or olefactory epithelium sounds.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising screening a group of animals based on the at least one sniffing characteristic monitored, to determine which animals in the group have a higher potential for successfully identifying the target material.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising evaluating the progress of training the animal to identify the target material.

18. A method of clinical diagnosis, said method comprising:

attaching a microphone to a subject to monitor at least one characteristic of the subject;

analyzing a chemical content of exhaled breath of a subject; and

determining a condition of the subject based on said monitored characteristic and said chemical content.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting data corresponding to the monitored characteristic from said microphone to a remote receiver.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said monitored characteristic is breathing frequency, breathing amplitude, nasal sounds, olefactory epithelium sounds, chest sounds and/or throat sounds of the subject.

21. A method of monitoring the breathing of a subject, said method comprising:

observing the breathing pattern of the subject;

comparing the breathing pattern of the subject to a known breathing pattern; and

providing feedback to the subject based on said comparison.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the subject is an athlete, and the known breathing pattern is a performance optimizing pattern.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the known breathing pattern is a breathing pattern indicating a potential occurrence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and the feedback comprises an alarm indication.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the known breathing pattern is a breathing pattern indicating that the subject is falling asleep.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the known breathing pattern is a breathing pattern indicating a problem with a breathing air source supplied to the subject.