DRUG SIMULANT RECOGNITION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF EMPLOYING

• US 20150044655A1
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Original Assignee: University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Inventors: Samosky, Joseph T., Nelson, Douglas A. Jr., Mikulis, Brandon T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,060,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/267
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means G01N3/00 – G01N25/00 take precedence; measurement or testing of electric or magnetic variables or of electric or magnetic properties of materials G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/52 Use of compounds or compositions for colorimetric, spectrophotometric or fluorometric investigation, e.g. use of reagent paper and including single- and multilayer analytical elements immunological elements G01N33/54386; involving labelled immunochemicals G01N33/58; for haemoglobin or occult blood G01N33/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/94 involving narcotics or drugs or pharmaceuticals, neurotransmitters or associated receptors
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/285 for injections, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, sigmoidscopy, insertion of contraceptive devices or enemas

Abstract

A system for identifying a drug simulant includes an electronic sensing system structured to measure the value of an inherent property of the drug simulant; a processing unit in electrical communication with the electronic sensing system; and a memory unit in communication with the processing unit, the memory unit having a look-up table including a range of values of the inherent property of a given fluid and corresponding names of simulated drugs associated with each value. The processor is structured to identify a name of the simulated drug corresponding to the drug simulant by receiving signals indicative of the value of the measured inherent property from the sensing system and comparing the value to the look-up table in the memory.

Claims

1. A system for identifying a drug simulant, the system comprising:

an electronic sensing system (36) structured to measure the value of an inherent property of the drug simulant;

a processing unit (42) in electrical communication with the electronic sensing system; and

a memory unit (43) in communication with the processing unit, the memory unit having a look-up table including a range of values of the inherent property of a given fluid and corresponding names of simulated drugs associated with each value,

wherein the processor is structured to identify a name of the simulated drug corresponding to the drug simulant by receiving signals indicative of the value of the measured inherent property from the sensing system and comparing the value to the look-up table in the memory.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the inherent property comprises one from the group consisting of conductivity, color, pH and optical refractive index.

3. An automated drug simulant recognition system (30) for identifying a drug simulant, the system comprising:

a port (14, 16) structured to receive a flow of the drug simulant;

an electrode chamber (32) in fluid communication with the port and having electrodes (34) disposed therein;

a fluid conductivity measuring circuit (36) electrically coupled to the electrodes (34) which outputs a signal (38) corresponding to the conductivity between the electrodes (34); and

a data acquisition interface (40) electrically coupled to the fluid conductivity measuring circuit (36) and structured to receive and digitize the signal (38) and output the signal to a processing device (42) for one or more of analysis, processing and graphical representation.

4. The automated drug recognition system (30) of claim 3 further comprising a flow meter (44) in fluid communication with the electrode chamber (32), the flow meter (44) being electrically coupled to the data acquisition interface (40) and structured to communicate output to the data acquisition interface.

5. The automated drug recognition system (30) of claim 4 further comprising a collection chamber (48) in fluid communication with the flow meter (44).

6. The automated drug recognition system (30) of claim 3 wherein the electrodes (34) are a pair of spaced electrodes formed front stainless steel.

7. A training system (10) for use in healthcare training comprising:

a simulated body (12) having a number of ports (14, 16) disposed thereon, each port being structured to receive a flow of a drug simulant;

an automated drug recognition system (30) as recited in claim 3 disposed in the simulated body (12) with the port (14, 16) being disposed at a surface of the simulated body (12); and

a processing device (42) structured to receive and process signals from the data acquisition interface (40).

8. The training system (10) of claim 7 wherein the port (14, 16) comprises at least one of a hand IV port (14) or a antecubitum IV port (16) disposed on the simulated body (12).

9. The training system (10) of claim 7 wherein the drug recognition system (30) further comprises a flow meter (44) in fluid communication with the electrode chamber (32), the flow meter (41) being electrically coupled to the data acquisition interface (40) and structured to communicate output to the data acquisition interface.

10. The training system (10) of claim 9 wherein the drug recognition system (30) further comprises a collection chamber (48) in fluid communication with the flow meter (44).

11. A method for identifying a drug simulant, the method comprising:

determining a value of the conductivity of the drug simulant; and

determining an identity of the drug simulant by comparing the value of the conductivity against a calibration look-up table.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein determining a value of the conductivity of the drug simulant comprises determining a stable conductivity value by detecting when the derivative of the electrical conductivity signal is less than a predetermined threshold value, then identifying the drug simulant by comparing the stable value of the conductivity against the calibration look-up table.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining the identity of the drug simulant by comparing the value of the conductivity against a calibration look-up table comprises determining the value of the conductivity is within a predetermined range surrounding a calibrated electrical conductivity value for a certain drug in the look-up table.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising continuously measuring the volume of the drug simulant injected even before a stable conductivity value is reached and associating the measured volume with the drug simulant after the identity of the drug simulant is determined.