Seizure detection device

Abstract

To provide a collector for a seizure detection device, a seizure detection device and a method for detecting a seizure.SOLUTION: A collector for a seizure detection device includes: a collection material configured to collect a volatile organic compound released from a patient's skin; a packaging material configured to isolate the collection material from an external environment; a heater including a heating element; and a mesh layer configured to prevent contact of the collection material with the patient's skin. The heating element is configured to emit a heat pulse to release the volatile organic compound from the collection material. The collection material is received between the packaging material and the mesh layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy / National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in this invention.

[0002] The present invention relates to medical devices, and more particularly to seizure detection devices. [Background technology]

[0003] Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder in the world after migraine, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease. Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system with no treatable underlying disease, characterized by abnormal or excessive electrical discharges in the brain that alter brain function and result in recurrent symptoms commonly referred to as "seizures." It is one of the oldest recognized disorders in the world, with records dating back to around 4000 BC.

[0004] Approximately 65 million people worldwide have epilepsy, with over 3.5 million in the United States alone. There are 2.4 million new cases of epilepsy each year worldwide, with over 150,000 new cases in the United States alone each year. More than 1 in 26 people are diagnosed with the condition during their lifetime. With medication and medical intervention, approximately two-thirds of patients are able to control their seizures, but the remaining third experience uncontrolled and unpredictable episodes of seizures. Deaths directly related to epilepsy are estimated to be approximately 1 million per year worldwide, with approximately 50,000 deaths per year in the United States.

[0005] Every year, about 80 people out of every 100,000 in the general population experience a new seizure, and of these, about 60% will have a recurrent case of epilepsy. Misunderstanding, prejudice and social stigma surrounding epilepsy have always been a part of the problem. This continues to the present day in most countries, greatly affecting the quality of life of people with epilepsy.

[0006] The social impact of epilepsy is often more impactful than the seizures themselves. The unpredictability inherent in epilepsy is devastating. Not knowing when a seizure will occur places significant limitations on family, social, educational, and professional activities. The social stigma and unpredictability surrounding epilepsy, along with the possibility of serious injury from falls and other accidents during a seizure, cause significant demoralization, frustration, and anxiety. Unfortunately, research has shown that increased anxiety increases the incidence of seizures, and increased seizures lead to further increases in chronic anxiety.

[0007] In summary, unexpected attacks can lead to accidents, injuries, embarrassing events, and costly emergency room treatments. They can be difficult to predict and dangerous, especially when patients are unable to reach family, friends, or medical professionals when needed. In addition, patients often must take toxic preventative medications every day, with unpleasant and sometimes life-threatening side effects. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] It should be understood that this summary is not an extensive or broad description of the invention. This summary is illustrative and not limiting, and is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope thereof. The sole purpose of this summary is to describe and illustrate certain concepts of the invention as a prelude to the full and extensive detailed description that follows. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A collector for a seizure detection device is disclosed that includes a collector material configured to collect volatile organic compounds released from a patient's skin, a wrapping configured to isolate the collector material from an external environment, a heater including a heating element, and a mesh layer configured to prevent contact of the collector material with the patient's skin, where the heating element is configured to emit a heat pulse to release the volatile organic compounds from the collector material, and where the collector material is received between the wrapping and the mesh layer. Effect of the Invention

[0010] Also disclosed is a seizure detection device comprising a collector including a collector configured to collect volatile organic compounds emitted from a patient's skin, a separator including a gas chromatography column having a chemically selective film, and an identifier including a detector and a processor, wherein a mixture of volatile organic compounds is configured to elute from the collector and diffuse through the chemically selective film to separate the eluted mixture into its constituent chemicals, the detector is configured to receive, ionize and detect the constituent chemicals eluted from the gas chromatography column, and the processor is configured to process information regarding the ionized chemicals and identify volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure.

[0011] Also disclosed is a method of detecting seizures that includes collecting volatile organic compounds in a collector material, separating each of the volatile organic compounds into its constituent chemicals in a gas chromatography column, ionizing the constituent chemicals to produce ionized chemicals, detecting the ionized chemicals, and analyzing the ionized chemicals to identify volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure.

[0012] Also disclosed is a seizure detection device comprising a collector configured to collect volatile organic compounds emitted from the patient's skin, a separator configured to separate the mixture of volatile organic compounds into constituent chemicals, and an identifier configured to ionize the constituent chemicals to produce ionized chemicals and process information about the ionized chemicals to identify specific volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure.

[0013] The various embodiments described herein may include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages that may not necessarily be expressly disclosed herein, but will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. All such systems, methods, features, and advantages are intended to be included in the present invention and protected by the accompanying claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] The features and components in the accompanying drawings are illustrated to emphasize the general gist of the present invention. Throughout the drawings, corresponding features and components may be designated by corresponding reference numerals for consistency and clarity.

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a seizure detection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the collector of the seizure detection device of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The present invention may be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, examples, figures, and claims, as well as the preceding and following descriptions. However, before the present device, system, and / or method are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular device, system, and / or method disclosed, unless otherwise specified, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting.

[0018] The following description is provided as an enabling teaching of the device, system, and / or method of the present invention in its best currently known embodiment. Thus, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects of the device, system, and / or method described herein while still obtaining the beneficial results of the present invention. It will also become apparent that some of the desired advantages of the present invention can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the present invention without utilizing the remaining features. Thus, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications and variations to the present invention are possible and may even be desirable in certain circumstances, and are a part of the present invention. Thus, the following description is provided as an illustration of the principles of the present invention, and not as a limitation thereof.

[0019] As used throughout, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to "an element" may include two or more such elements unless the context dictates otherwise.

[0020] Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" one particular value, and / or to "about" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and / or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values ​​are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. Further, it will be understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant, whether or not they relate to the other endpoint.

[0021] For purposes of this specification, a material property, i.e., dimension, that is about or substantially X on a particular measurement scale is measured within a range between X plus the industry standard upper tolerance for the specified measurement and X minus the industry standard lower tolerance for the specified measurement. Because tolerances can vary between different materials, processes, and different models, the tolerance for a particular measurement of a particular part may fall within an acceptable range.

[0022] As used herein, the terms "optional" or "optionally" mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes cases where said event or circumstance occurs and cases where it does not occur.

[0023] The term "or" as used herein means any one member of a particular list, and also includes any combination of members of that list. Furthermore, it should be noted that conditional language, particularly "may," "may," "would," or "can," is generally intended to convey that an embodiment includes certain features, elements, and / or means, while not including other embodiments, unless specifically stated otherwise or understood in the context in which it is used. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that the features, elements, and / or means are in any way required by one or more particular embodiments, or that one or more particular embodiments necessarily include logic for determining whether those features, elements, and / or means are included or performed in any particular embodiment, with or without user input or prompting.

[0024] Components are disclosed that may be used to implement the disclosed methods and systems. These and other components are disclosed herein, and where combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these components are disclosed, it is understood that, although specific references to each of the various individual and collective combinations and permutations of these may not be expressly disclosed, each of the methods and systems is specifically contemplated and described herein. This applies to all aspects of the invention, including, but not limited to, the disclosed method means. Thus, where there are various additional means that may be implemented, it is understood that each of these additional means may be implemented with any particular aspect or combination of aspects of the disclosed methods.

[0025] Disclosed herein is a seizure detection device, and related methods, systems, devices, and various devices. Exemplary aspects of the seizure detection device may include a collector, a separator, and an identifier. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosed seizure detection device is described in only a few exemplary aspects among many. No particular term or description should be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosure or the claims derived therefrom.

[0026] A first embodiment of a seizure detection device 100 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The seizure detection device 100 may be configured to detect certain seizure-indicative volatile organic compounds (also referred to as VOCs, also known as bio-volatile compounds) than may be associated with the onset or occurrence of an epileptic seizure in a human patient. For example, the seizure-indicative VOCs are menthone, menthyl acetate, and / or 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene, which have been identified as seizure biomarkers. In other embodiments, the seizure-indicative VOCs may be other suitable compounds that may be associated with seizures in a human patient. In some examples, these certain seizure-indicative VOCs may be present either individually or in any combination before, during, or after a seizure. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) 200 (shown in FIG. 2), including seizure-indicative VOCs, may be released as a gas from a human patient, for example, through the patient's skin. According to an exemplary embodiment, the seizure detection device 100 may include a sensor device 110 capable of detecting and analyzing VOCs 200 in a three-step process including pre-concentration (PC), gas chromatography (GC) separation, and detection.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment, the sensor device 110 may include a collector 120, a separator 130, and an identifier 150. The collector 120 may be formed as a patch 122 that can contact the patient's skin 270 (shown in FIG. 2). In one embodiment, the patch 122 may be attached to the skin 270 by an adhesive. In another embodiment, the patch 122 may be applied by another fastener such as a band or a string, or any other suitable fastener known in the art. In a pre-concentration state, the collector 120 may collect target chemicals (e.g., VOCs 200) from the environment and reject interferents. In this embodiment, the collector 120 may include a chemically clean packaging material 124 that can isolate the collector 226 (shown in FIG. 2) from possible external environmental contaminants. The collector 226 may be configured to collect VOCs 200 that are released as a gas from the patient's skin 270 in some embodiments, and may also collect other compounds. Additionally, the scavenging material 226 may be isolated from direct physical contact with the patient's skin 270 to minimize contamination with sweat or skin bacteria, as described in more detail below with respect to Figure 2. According to an exemplary embodiment, a heater 228 (shown in Figure 2) may be integrated with the scavenging material 226, and a heat pulse from the heater 228 may release the VOCs 200 (and possibly other compounds) from the scavenging material 226. A pump 132 of the seizure detection device 100 may then pump the released VOCs 200 to the separator 130 via a transfer tube 134.

[0028] In the GC separation stage, the captured VOCs 200 may be injected into a carrier gas (not shown), such as, for example, helium or nitrogen. A small gas plug (e.g., a sample of the carrier gas and VOC mixture) may be injected into the long rectangular flow column (not shown) of the separator 130. According to an exemplary embodiment, a valve 140 may control the injection of the gas plug and the direction and flow of the gas plug through the column. In an exemplary embodiment, the column may be a μGC (micro gas chromatography) column, while in other embodiments, the column may be a conventional GC (gas chromatography) column. In some embodiments, the column may be similar to any of the embodiments disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 10,151,732, filed January 11, 2016, U.S. Patent No. 6,699,392, filed June 10, 2002, and U.S. Patent No. 6,666,907, filed January 31, 2002, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In some embodiments, the gas plug may undergo μGC×GC separation or conventional GC×GC separation, which can enable high performance separation and ultra-low false positive rates. μGC×GC separation is micro gas chromatography×micro gas chromatography separation, and GC×GC separation is conventional gas chromatography×gas chromatography separation, both of which are also known as two-dimensional gas chromatography.

[0029] According to an exemplary embodiment, the column may be coated with a chemically selective film, which may be referred to as the stationary phase. As the gas plug flows through the column, the individual chemicals from the gas plug (including the individual chemicals of the VOCs 200) diffuse into and elute from the stationary phase based on their solubility in the stationary phase. The less soluble VOCs 200 may flow through the flow path quickly, while the more soluble VOCs 200 may remain in the stationary phase for a relatively long time. This time delay separates the complex chemical mixture of the gas plug into its constituent chemicals, providing valuable spatial and chemical information during the detection stage that is important for positive chemical identification and reducing false positives. In an exemplary embodiment, the column may be a silicon μGC column that is about 160 cm long, about 65 μm wide, and about 650 μm deep. In an exemplary embodiment, a heater (e.g., a metal heater) (not shown) may be incorporated into the silicon μGC column. Furthermore, high aspect ratio silicon μGC columns may be mounted on both sides of an approximately 2 cm×2 cm die 135, allowing for a significant reduction in size compared to conventional columns. According to an exemplary embodiment, the reduction in size allows μGC separations to be performed in 30 seconds or less by heating the column at 70-200+° C. with an average power of 4.5 W.

[0030] Finally, in the detection stage, the identifier 150 can sense the chemicals eluting from the column and convert the chemical information into a recordable signal. For example, the identifier 150 can include an ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) detector 152. In certain embodiments, the IMS detector 152 can be a correlation ion mobility spectrometer (CIMS) detector. In another particular embodiment, the IMS detector 152 can be a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) CIMS detector. In other embodiments, the identifier 150 may include a flame ionization detector (FID), a photoionization detector (PID), a pulsed discharge ionization detector (PDID), a quartz crystal microbalance, a surface acoustic wave detector, and / or a resonator-based detector including a micromachined cantilever-based resonator, a chemiresistor, a chemicapacitor, a thermal conductivity detector (TCD), a spectroscopic detector including vacuum ultraviolet (VUV), ultraviolet, visible, and / or infrared radiation detection, a non-gas chromatographic separation method such as mass spectrometer detection (MS), IMS (ion mobility spectrometry), IMS-MS (ion mobility spectrometry mass spectrometry), and / or MS-MS (tandem mass spectrometry), or any other suitable detector known in the art. In the IMS detector 152, the incoming chemicals are ionized and may be drawn into an IMS drift tube (not shown) by a potential gradient. In some embodiments, the IMS drift tube may be similar to the drift tube disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,155,812, filed Sep. 4, 2003, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0031] Because the IMS detector 152 can operate at atmospheric pressure, the ionization of the chemicals can be considered "soft" in that it minimizes the decomposition, or fragmentation, of the chemicals. The ionized chemicals (also referred to as ions) are drawn into an IMS drift tube, which may include a Faraday cup detector (not shown) at its end that can count the ion charge. The speed at which the ions pass through the IMS drift tube is a function of the ion's size, charge, and interactions of the ion with other molecules in the IMS drift tube. By carefully measuring the characteristic passage speed of the parent ion and its adducts through the IMS drift tube, called a reduced mobility value (i.e., K0), one can positively identify target species (e.g., specific seizure-indicative VOCs associated with seizures). In an exemplary embodiment, the seizure detection device 100 may include a processor (not shown), e.g., on a printed circuit board (PCB), to process the data and determine whether one or more seizure-indicative VOCs are present. According to an exemplary embodiment, a battery 180, such as a lithium ion battery, or another power source may be provided to power the sensor device 110, including the processor.

[0032] If one or more VOCs indicative of a seizure are detected, i.e., if one or more compounds among the VOCs indicative of a seizure are detected in significant concentrations, the processor may activate a signal. In some embodiments, the signal may sound an immediate alarm to alert the patient that a seizure may be imminent. In some embodiments, the signal may be transmitted wirelessly (e.g., via Bluetooth) to an external receiving unit, such as an application (also called an app) on a cell phone, smartphone, tablet, or other electronic device, to activate additional alarms. In some instances, there may be enough foresight to introduce on-demand therapy for the upcoming seizure. Additionally, in some embodiments, the seizure detection device 100 may also alert a caregiver or emergency personnel. The application and / or the device 100 itself may include memory to profile the level, duration, and date and time of occurrence of VOCs concentrations indicative of a seizure. This data may be used as a diary of seizure activity for later review by the patient or physician. In some embodiments, the data may be used to more accurately predict future seizures based on the patient's personal chemical response prior to the seizure. For example, in one embodiment, the seizure detection device 100 may detect a patient's slightly elevated levels of menthone prior to the occurrence of multiple seizures. The processor may analyze this data to detect patterns of increased menthone prior to a seizure and identify the increased menthone as a VOC indicative of the patient's seizure. The seizure detection device 100 may then issue an alert to the patient when menthone, i.e., a significant concentration of menthone, is detected.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the collector 120 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1. As shown, the collector 120 is applied to the patient's skin 270. A chemically clean wrapper 124 may define an outer layer of the collector 120. In some embodiments, the chemically clean wrapper 124 may be a polyimide film, in this embodiment, the wrapper 124 may be a polyimide film with a silicone adhesive. In other embodiments, any other suitable adhesive or other fastener may be used. A trapping material 226 may define a middle layer of the collector 120, in this embodiment, the trapping material 226 may be formed from, for example, but not limited to, PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), a type of silicone. In this embodiment, a heater 228 may be attached to the wrapper 124 and disposed between the wrapper 124 and the trapping material 226, as shown. In other aspects, the heating element of the heater 228 may be integrated with the packaging material 124. Additionally, a mesh 232 may define an inner layer of the collector 120 and be disposed between the collection material 226 and the patient's skin. In an exemplary aspect, the mesh 232 may be formed from a polymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In other aspects, the mesh 232 may be formed from a metallic material or other suitable material known in the art. The mesh 232 may prevent the collection material 226 from contacting the patient's skin and becoming contaminated by sweat, oils, and bacteria from the skin, and / or other undesirable elements.

[0034] In other embodiments, the collector 120 may be configured to collect VOCs 200 through the patient's sweat, saliva, breathing (e.g., exhalation), or any other suitable bodily process. Also, in other embodiments, the VOCs indicative of a seizure may additionally or alternatively include β-bourbonene, β-cubebene, or any other suitable VOC that may be identified as a seizure biomarker. Furthermore, in some embodiments, instead of contacting the patient's skin, the collector may be placed near the patient (e.g., next to the patient's chair or bed, or elsewhere in the patient's room) and configured to collect VOCs from the ambient air surrounding the patient that has been released into the air through the patient's skin and / or through the patient's exhaled breath.

[0035] An exemplary embodiment of the heater 228 may include a heating coil 230 configured to emit a heat pulse, which may cause the VOCs 200 received in the trapping material 226 to be released into a flow path 234 between the heating coil 230 and the trapping material 226. In an exemplary embodiment, a power cord 236 may be connected to the heater 228 to provide power to the heating coil 230. In some embodiments, the power cord 236 may be connected to a battery 180 or other power source to transfer power to the heating coil 230. Once the VOCs 200 are released from the trapping material 226 into the flow path 234, the pump 132 then pumps the VOCs 200 from the flow path 234 through the transfer tube 134 and into the separator 130 (shown in FIG. 1 ).

[0036] The seizure detection device 100 allows the patient to avoid accidents, injuries, embarrassing events, and unnecessary emergency room treatments. In some embodiments, the seizure detection device 100 can alert family, friends, and medical personnel of an impending seizure, potentially reducing the amount of preventative medication the patient needs on a daily basis. Many of these medications can be toxic and have unpleasant, sometimes life-threatening side effects, so reducing the daily dosage can greatly improve the patient's health and functionality. Additionally, the predictive seizure detection device 100, in some embodiments, can enable the development of rescue protocols that can reduce the severity of an impending seizure or, in some instances, prevent it from occurring altogether, thus reducing or avoiding the damage that a seizure can cause to the patient's brain and body.

[0037] These seizure-indicative VOCs have been shown to be present in the pre-seizure phase and build up in different patients at different times and at different levels of concentration based on the individual patient's metabolism and blood chemistry. As a result, the timing of the predictive alerts generated by the seizure detection device 100 may necessarily vary from patient to patient. For reference, seizure-indicative VOCs may persist in a patient's body for approximately 5 to 40 minutes after a seizure, based on the individual patient's metabolism.

[0038] Exemplary embodiments of the seizure detection device 100 may be small enough in scale so that the seizure detection device 100 can be easily carried with a patient as they go about their daily activities such as work, exercise, eat, sleep, etc. Thus, various elements of the seizure detection device 100 (e.g., columns, processors, etc.) may be formed as miniature or micro versions of such elements.

[0039] In one exemplary embodiment, a collector for a seizure detection device includes a collection material that may be configured to collect volatile organic compounds released from a patient's skin, a wrapper that may be configured to isolate the collection material from an external environment, a heater that may include a heating element, and a mesh layer that may be configured to prevent contact of the collection material with the patient's skin, where the heating element is configured to emit a heat pulse to release the volatile organic compounds from the collection material, and where the collection material is received between the wrapper and the mesh layer.

[0040] In a further exemplary embodiment, the volatile organic compound may include at least one of menthone, menthyl acetate, and 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene. In a further exemplary embodiment, the heater may be one of integral with the wrapper and received between the wrapper and the scavenging material. In a further exemplary embodiment, the scavenging material may include polydimethylsiloxane. In a further exemplary embodiment, the wrapper may include an adhesive configured to adhere the collector to the patient's skin.

[0041] In another exemplary aspect, a seizure detection device may include a collector including a collector material that may be configured to collect volatile organic compounds emitted from a patient's skin, a separator including a gas chromatography column that may have a chemically selective film, and an identifier including a detector and a processor, wherein a mixture of volatile organic compounds is configured to elute from the collector and diffuse through the chemically selective film to separate the eluting mixture into its constituent chemicals, the detector is configured to receive, ionize, and detect the constituent chemicals eluting from the gas chromatography column, and the processor is configured to process information regarding the ionized chemicals and identify specific volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure.

[0042] In further exemplary aspects, the collector may define a patch configured to contact the patient's skin, and the patch may include an adhesive for adhering the collector to the patient's skin. In further exemplary aspects, the collector may include a chemically clean packaging material that may be configured to isolate the scavenging material from external environmental contaminants. In further exemplary aspects, the collector may further include a mesh layer that may be configured to isolate the scavenging material from the patient's skin. In further exemplary aspects, the seizure detection device may further include a heater, and the heater may include a heating element, and the heating element may be configured to emit a heat pulse to release the volatile organic compounds from the scavenging material. In further exemplary aspects, the seizure detection device may further include a pump and a transfer tube, and the pump may be configured to pump the volatile organic compounds to the separator via the transfer tube. In further exemplary aspects, the seizure detection device may further include a valve that may be configured to inject a gas plug into the gas chromatography column, and the gas plug may include a carrier gas and a volatile organic compound. In a further exemplary embodiment, the detector may be an ion mobility spectrometry device including a drift tube, the ionized chemicals configured to travel through the drift tube, and the processor may be configured to calculate a mobility reduction value for the ionized chemicals traveling through the drift tube. In a further exemplary embodiment, the specific volatile organic compounds may include at least one of menthone, menthyl acetate, and 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene.

[0043] In another exemplary aspect, a method for detecting a seizure may include collecting volatile organic compounds in a collection material of a collector, separating the mixture of volatile organic compounds into its constituent chemicals in a gas chromatography column, ionizing the constituent chemicals to produce ionized chemicals, detecting the ionized chemicals, and analyzing the ionized chemicals to identify volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure.

[0044] In a further exemplary aspect, the method further includes transferring the volatile organic compounds from the collector to the gas chromatography column, where transferring the volatile organic compounds from the collector to the gas chromatography column may include emitting a heat pulse from a heater to release the volatile organic compounds from the collector and pumping the volatile organic compounds through a transfer tube. In a further exemplary aspect, separating the mixture of volatile organic compounds into its constituent chemicals using a gas chromatography column may include diffusing or eluting the volatile organic compounds into or from a chemically selective film of the gas chromatography column. In a further exemplary aspect, the method may further include injecting the volatile organic compounds into a carrier gas to form a gas plug and injecting the gas plug into the gas chromatography column. In a further exemplary aspect, analyzing the ionized chemicals to identify volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure may include calculating a mobility reduction value for the ionized chemicals using a processor. In a further exemplary aspect, the method may further include generating a signal associated with the volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure using a processor.

[0045] In another exemplary aspect, the seizure detection device may include a collector that may be configured to collect volatile organic compounds emitted from the patient's skin, a separator that may be configured to separate the mixture of volatile organic compounds into constituent chemicals, and an identifier that may be configured to ionize the constituent chemicals to produce ionized chemicals and process information about the ionized chemicals to identify specific volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure.

[0046] It should be noted that conditional language such as "may," "may," "would," or "can," unless specifically stated otherwise or understood within the context in which it is used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or procedures, while other embodiments do not. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that the features, elements, and / or procedures are in any way required by one or more particular embodiments, or that one or more particular embodiments necessarily include logic for determining whether those features, elements, and / or procedures are included in or performed in any particular embodiment, with or without user input or prompting.

[0047] It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merely possible examples shown for a clear understanding of the subject matter of the present invention. Any process description in a flow diagram, i.e., a process block, should be understood to represent a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for performing a particular logical function or step in the process, and also includes alternative implementations that may be performed in a different order from that shown or described, such as substantially simultaneously or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as understood by a person reasonably skilled in the art of the present invention. Many variations and modifications can be made to the above-described embodiments without substantially departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to include all combinations and subcombinations of all elements, features, and aspects described above. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and all possible claims to individual aspects, or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure.

Claims

1. 1. A collector for a seizure detection device, comprising: a collector configured to collect volatile organic compounds emitted from the patient's skin; a packaging material configured to isolate the scavenging material from an external environment; a heater including a heating element; a mesh layer configured to prevent contact of the collection material with the patient's skin; the heating element is configured to emit a heat pulse to release the volatile organic compounds from the collection material; the collection material is received between the wrapper and the mesh layer; Collector.

2. 2. The collector of claim 1, wherein the volatile organic compounds include at least one of menthone, menthyl acetate, and 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene.

3. 2. The collector of claim 1, wherein the heating element is one of: integral with the wrapper; and received between the wrapper and the collection material.

4. The collector of claim 1 , wherein the collection material comprises polydimethylsiloxane.

5. The collector of claim 1 , wherein the packaging material includes an adhesive configured to adhere the collector to the patient's skin.

6. a collector including a collector configured to collect volatile organic compounds emitted from the patient's skin; a separator comprising a gas chromatography column having a chemically selective film; an identifier including a detector and a processor; the mixture of volatile organic compounds is configured to leach from the collector and diffuse through the chemically selective film to separate the eluted mixture into its constituent chemicals; the detector is configured to receive, ionize, and detect the constituent chemicals eluted from the gas chromatography column; the processor is configured to process information about the ionized chemicals to identify specific volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure. Seizure detection devices.

7. 7. The seizure detection device of claim 6, wherein the collector defines a patch configured to contact the patient's skin, the patch including an adhesive configured to adhere the collector to the patient's skin.

8. 7. The seizure detection device of claim 6, wherein the collector comprises a chemically clean packaging configured to isolate the collection material from external environmental contaminants.

9. The seizure detection device of claim 6 , wherein the collector further comprises a mesh layer configured to isolate the collection material from the patient's skin.

10. 7. The seizure detection device of claim 6, further comprising a heater including a heating element, the heating element configured to emit a heat pulse to cause the volatile organic compounds to be released from the collection material.

11. 7. The seizure detection device of claim 6, further comprising a pump and a transfer tube, said pump configured to pump said volatile organic compounds through said transfer tube and into said separator.

12. 7. The seizure detection device of claim 6, further comprising a valve configured to inject a gas plug into the gas chromatography column, the gas plug containing a carrier gas and the volatile organic compound.

13. the detector is an ion mobility spectrometry detector including a drift tube; the ionized chemical is configured to travel through the drift tube; 7. The seizure detection device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a mobility reduction value of the ionized chemical traveling through the drift tube.

14. 7. The seizure detection device of claim 6, wherein the volatile organic compounds include at least one of menthone, menthyl acetate, and 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene.

15. Volatile organic compounds are captured by the collector's collection material, separating said mixture of volatile organic compounds into its constituent chemicals in a gas chromatography column; ionizing the constituent chemicals to produce an ionized chemical and detecting the ionized chemical; analyzing the ionized chemicals to identify volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure. Seizure detection methods

16. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising transferring the volatile organic compounds from the collector to the gas chromatography column, wherein transferring the volatile organic compounds from the collector to the gas chromatography column comprises emitting a heat pulse from a heater to release the volatile organic compounds from the collector and pumping the volatile organic compounds through a transfer tube.

17. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein separating the mixture of volatile organic compounds into its constituent chemicals using the gas chromatography column includes eluting the volatile organic compounds by diffusing them through a chemically selective film of the gas chromatography column.

18. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising injecting the volatile organic compounds into a carrier gas to form a gas plug and injecting the gas plug into the gas chromatography column.

19. 16. The method of seizure detection of claim 15, wherein analyzing the ionized chemicals to identify volatile organic compounds indicative of a seizure includes calculating, with a processor, a mobility reduction value for the ionized chemicals.

20. 20. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating, with a processor, a signal related to a volatile organic compound indicative of a seizure.

21. a collector configured to collect volatile organic compounds emitted from the patient's skin; a separator configured to separate said mixture of volatile organic compounds into their constituent chemicals; an identifier configured to ionize the constituent chemicals to produce an ionized chemical and process information about the ionized chemical to identify a particular volatile organic compound indicative of a seizure; Seizure detection devices.

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