System and method for determining emotional response to olfactory stimuli

• US 9,295,806 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imotions A/S (Smart Eye AB)
• Original Assignee: Imotions A/S (Smart Eye AB)
• Inventors: De Lemos, Jakob, Jensen, Ole Baunbaek, Sadeghnia, Golam Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): Gedeon, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): TEJANI, ANKIT D
• Application Number:
  US13/255,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4011 Evaluating olfaction, i.e. sense of smell
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/161 with means for measuring the humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0033 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0016 by the smell sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/80 voice-operated command
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/18 Rapid eye-movements [REM]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/63 Motion, e.g. physical activity

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for determining pre-cognitive and/or cognitive emotional response to predetermined olfactory stimuli. Among other things, the invention may include exposing a test subject to a controlled flow of a predetermined olfactory stimulus, measuring eye data (e.g., using an eye tracking device) corresponding to when the olfactory stimulus reached the subject'"'"'s nose, and analyzing and processing the eye data for determining the subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus. In some implementations, the invention may include measuring the test subject'"'"'s respiratory parameters so as to deliver the predetermined olfactory stimulus at a certain point in the test subjects respiratory cycle.

Claims

1. A method of determining an emotional response to olfactory stimuli presented to a test subject during an emotional response test, the method comprising:

analyzing respiration cycle information associated with the test subject to determine a respiration pattern that includes inhalation and exhalation portions of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle;

measuring a distance between a nozzle of an olfactory stimuli dispenser configured to controllably release an olfactory stimulus and the test subject'"'"'s nose;

determining a desired flow rate at which the olfactory stimulus is to be released;

determining, based at least in part on the respiration cycle information, the measured distance, and the desired flow rate, a time at which the olfactory stimulus should be triggered for release to reach the test subject'"'"'s nose at a predetermined time, the predetermined time corresponding to an inhalation portion of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle or to a projected time at which the test subject will be in an inhalation portion of the respiration cycle;

controllably releasing the olfactory stimulus at the determined time;

receiving, at a computer, from an eye-tracking device operatively coupled to the computer, eye data collected from the test subject by the eye-tracking device while the test subject is presented with the released olfactory stimulus, the eye data including pupil data, blink data, and gaze data; and

processing, by the computer, the collected eye data to determine the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus.

2. A method of determining an emotional response to olfactory stimuli presented to a test subject during an emotional response test, the method comprising:

analyzing respiration cycle information associated with the test subject to determine a respiration pattern that includes inhalation and exhalation portions of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle;

determining, based at least in part on the respiration cycle information, a time at which an olfactory stimulus should be triggered for release to reach the test subject'"'"'s nose at a predetermined time, the predetermined time corresponding to an inhalation portion of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle or to a projected time at which the test subject will be in an inhalation portion of the respiration cycle;

controllably releasing the olfactory stimulus at the determined time;

receiving, at a computer, from an eye-tracking device operatively coupled to the computer, eye data collected from the test subject by the eye-tracking device while the test subject is presented with the released olfactory stimulus, the eye data including pupil data, blink data, and gaze data;

processing, by the computer, the collected eye data to determine the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus;

measuring, after the release of the olfactory stimulus, a distance between a nozzle of an olfactory stimuli dispenser configured to controllably release the olfactory stimulus and the test subject'"'"'s nose;

detecting flow rate information associated with the released olfactory stimulus; and

determining, based at least in part on the measured distance and the detected flow rate information, a time at which the olfactory stimulus actually reached the subject'"'"'s nose; and

wherein processing the collected eye data to determine the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus is based at least in part on the determined time at which the olfactory stimulus actually reached the test subject'"'"'s nose.

3. A method of determining an emotional response to olfactory stimuli presented to a test subject during an emotional response test, the method comprising:

analyzing respiration cycle information associated with the test subject to determine a respiration pattern that includes inhalation and exhalation portions of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle;

determining, based at least in part on the respiration cycle information, a time at which an olfactory stimulus should be triggered for release to reach the test subject'"'"'s nose at a predetermined time, the predetermined time corresponding to an inhalation portion of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle or to a projected time at which the test subject will be in an inhalation portion of the respiration cycle;

controllably releasing the olfactory stimulus at the determined time;

receiving, at a computer, from an eye-tracking device operatively coupled to the computer, eye data collected from the test subject by the eye-tracking device while the test subject is presented with the released olfactory stimulus, the eye data including pupil data, blink data, and gaze data;

processing, by the computer, the collected eye data to determine the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus;

detecting, prior to, during, and/or after the emotional response test, environmental contamination due to olfactory residue in an olfactory stimuli dispenser and/or in air around the olfactory stimuli dispenser or subject; and

neutralizing and/or purging the olfactory residue.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

measuring the test subject'"'"'s physiological responses to the released olfactory stimulus; and

wherein determining the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus is based at least in part on the test subject'"'"'s measured physiological responses to the released olfactory stimulus.

5. A system for determining an emotional response to olfactory stimuli presented to a test subject during an emotional response test, the system comprising:

a distance detection device configured to measure a distance between a nozzle of an olfactory stimuli dispenser configured to controllably release an olfactory stimulus and the test subject'"'"'s nose; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium storing one or more software modules comprising computer-readable instructions executable by a processor, the one or more software modules comprising;

a respiration signal analysis module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to analyze respiration cycle information associated with the test subject to determine a respiration pattern that includes inhalation and exhalation portions of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle;

an olfactory stimuli properties analysis module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to determine a desired flow rate at which the olfactory stimulus is to be released;

an olfactory stimuli control module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to;

(i) determine, based at least in part on the respiration cycle information, the measured distance, and the desired flow rate, a time at which the olfactory stimulus should be triggered for release to reach the test subject'"'"'s nose at a predetermined time, the predetermined time corresponding to an inhalation portion of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle or to a projected time at which the test subject will be in an inhalation portion of the respiration cycle; and

(ii) controllably release the olfactory stimulus at the determined time;

a response data collection module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to obtain eye data collected from the test subject while the test subject is presented with the released olfactory stimulus, the eye data including pupil data, blink data, and gaze data; and

an emotional response determination module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to process the collected eye data to determine the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus.

6. A system for determining an emotional response to olfactory stimuli presented to a test subject during an emotional response test, the system comprising:

a distance detection device configured to measure, after release of an olfactory stimulus, a distance between a nozzle of an olfactory stimuli dispenser configured to controllably release the olfactory stimulus and the test subject'"'"'s nose;

an olfactory stimuli flow detector configured to detect flow rate information associated with the released olfactory stimulus; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium storing one or more software modules comprising computer-readable instructions executable by a processor, the one or more software modules comprising;

a respiration signal analysis module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to analyze respiration cycle information associated with the test subject to determine a respiration pattern that includes inhalation and exhalation portions of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle;

an olfactory stimuli control module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to;

(i) determine, based at least in part on the respiration cycle information, a time at which the olfactory stimulus should be triggered for release to reach the test subject'"'"'s nose at a predetermined time, the predetermined time corresponding to an inhalation portion of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle or to a projected time at which the test subject will be in an inhalation portion of the respiration cycle; and

(ii) controllably release the olfactory stimulus at the determined time;

a response data collection module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to obtain eye data collected from the test subject while the test subject is presented with the released olfactory stimulus, the eye data including pupil data, blink data, and gaze data;

an emotional response determination module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to process the collected eye data to determine the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus;

an olfactory stimuli properties analysis module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to determine, based at least in part on the measured distance and the detected flow rate information, a time at which the olfactory stimulus actually reached the subject'"'"'s nose; and

wherein the emotional response determination module comprises computer-readable instructions configured to process the collected eye data to further determine the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus based at least in part on the determined time at which the olfactory stimulus actually reached the test subject'"'"'s nose.

7. A system for determining an emotional response to olfactory stimuli presented to a test subject during an emotional response test, the system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium storing one or more software modules comprising computer-readable instructions executable by a processor, the one or more software modules comprising;

a respiration signal analysis module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to analyze respiration cycle information associated with the test subject to determine a respiration pattern that includes inhalation and exhalation portions of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle;

an olfactory stimuli control module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to;

(i) determine, based at least in part on the respiration cycle information, a time at which an olfactory stimulus should be triggered for release to reach the test subject'"'"'s nose at a predetermined time, the predetermined time corresponding to an inhalation portion of the test subject'"'"'s respiration cycle or to a projected time at which the test subject will be in an inhalation portion of the respiration cycle; and

(ii) controllably release the olfactory stimulus at the determined time;

a response data collection module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to obtain eye data collected from the test subject while the test subject is presented with the released olfactory stimulus, the eye data including pupil data, blink data, and gaze data;

an emotional response determination module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to process the collected eye data to determine the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus; and

an olfactory stimuli purging module comprising computer-readable instructions configured to;

(i) detect, prior to, during, and/or after the emotional response test, environmental contamination due to olfactory residue in an aroma dispenser and/or in air around the olfactory stimuli dispenser or subject; and

(ii) neutralize and/or purge the olfactory residue.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

one or more emotion detection sensors configured to measure the test subject'"'"'s physiological responses to the released olfactory stimulus, and

wherein the emotional response determination module comprises computer-readable instructions configured to further determine the test subject'"'"'s emotional response to the olfactory stimulus based at least in part on the test subject'"'"'s measured physiological responses to the released olfactory stimulus.