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 world's most common neurological disorder, after migraine, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease. Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder without a treatable underlying condition. It is characterized by abnormal or excessive electrical discharges within the brain that alter brain function and result in recurring symptoms commonly referred to as "seizures." It is one of the world's oldest recognized disorders, with records dating back to around 4000 BC.

[0004] Approximately 65 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy, with more than 3.5 million in the United States alone. Globally, there are 2.4 million new cases of epilepsy each year, with more than 150,000 new cases in the United States alone. More than 1 in 26 people will be diagnosed with the condition during their lifetime. While approximately two-thirds of patients are able to control their seizures with medication and medical intervention, the remaining one-third experience uncontrolled and unpredictable seizure episodes. 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, approximately 80 people in every 100,000 people in the general population experience a new seizure, and of these, approximately 60% will develop a recurrent case that will result in a diagnosis of epilepsy. Misunderstanding, stigma and social stigma surrounding epilepsy have always been a concern, and this continues to this day in most countries, significantly impacting the quality of life of people with epilepsy.

[0006] The social impact of epilepsy is often greater than the seizures themselves. The inherent unpredictability of 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 potential for 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 treatment. They can be unpredictable and dangerous, especially when patients are unable to reach family, friends, or medical professionals when needed. Furthermore, patients often must take toxic preventative medications daily, often 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 its scope. 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] Disclosed is a collector for a seizure detection device comprising a collector material configured to collect volatile organic compounds emitted from a patient's skin, 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, wherein the heating element is configured to emit a heat pulse to cause the volatile organic compounds to be emitted from the collector material, and the collector material is received between the wrapping and the mesh layer. [Effects 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 eluting 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 for detecting seizures that includes collecting volatile organic compounds with 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 explicitly disclosed herein, but will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination 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 explanation of the drawings]

[0014] The features and components of the accompanying drawings are illustrated to emphasize the general gist of the present invention. Throughout the figures, corresponding features and components may be designated by matching 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] [Figure 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 INVENTION

[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 description. However, before the present devices, systems, and / or methods are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular devices, systems, and / or methods 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 present device, system, and / or method in its best currently known mode. Thus, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate that many changes can be made to various aspects of the present 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 other features. Accordingly, 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. Therefore, the following description is provided as an illustration of the principles of the present invention, 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, reference to "an element" can 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, it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect by use of the antecedent "about." Further, it will be understood that the endpoints of each range 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 X 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 term "optional" or "optionally" means 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] As used herein, the term "or" 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 aspect includes certain features, elements, and / or means, while other aspects do not, unless specifically stated otherwise or understood within the context in which it is used. Thus, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that the features, elements, and / or means are somehow required for one or more particular aspects, or that one or more particular aspects necessarily include logic for determining whether those features, elements, and / or means are included in or performed in any particular aspect, with or without user input or prompting.

[0024] Disclosed are components that can be used to implement the disclosed methods and systems. These and other components are disclosed herein, and where combinations, subsets, interactions, groupings, etc. of these components are disclosed, it is understood that, for all methods and systems, each is specifically contemplated and described herein, even though specific reference to each of these various individual and collective combinations and permutations may not be expressly disclosed. 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 can be implemented, it is understood that each of these additional means can be implemented with any specific aspect or combination of aspects of the disclosed method.

[0025] Disclosed herein are seizure detection devices, and related methods, systems, devices, and various apparatus. 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 describes only a few exemplary aspects among many. No particular terminology or description should be considered to limit the scope of the disclosure or claims derived therefrom.

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a seizure detection device 100 of the present invention. The seizure detection device 100 can be configured to detect specific seizure-indicative volatile organic compounds (also referred to as VOCs, also known as biovolatile compounds) that may be associated with the onset or occurrence of epileptic seizures in a human patient. For example, 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 specific seizure-indicative VOCs may be present before, during, or after a seizure, either individually or in any combination. 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 preconcentration (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 string, or any other suitable fastener known in the art. In a pre-concentrated 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 scavenger 226 (shown in FIG. 2) from possible external environmental contaminants. The scavenger 226, in some embodiments, may be configured to collect VOCs 200 released as a gas from the patient's skin 270 and may also collect other compounds. Additionally, the scavenger 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 scavenger material 226, and a heat pulse from the heater 228 may release the VOCs 200 (and possibly other compounds) from the scavenger 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 line 134.

[0028] In the GC separation stage, the collected VOCs 200 may be injected into a carrier gas (not shown), such as 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 its direction and flow through the column. In an exemplary embodiment, the column may be a μGC (micro gas chromatography) column; 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 a micro gas chromatography×micro gas chromatography separation, and GC×GC separation is a 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, individual chemicals from the gas plug (including individual chemicals of VOCs 200) diffuse into and elute from the stationary phase based on their solubility in the stationary phase. VOCs 200 with low solubility may flow quickly through the flow path, while VOCs 200 with high solubility 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 phase that is important for positive chemical identification and reducing false positives. In an exemplary embodiment, the column may be a silicon μGC column approximately 160 cm long, approximately 65 μm wide, and approximately 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 x 2 cm die 135, allowing for a significant size reduction compared to conventional columns. According to an exemplary embodiment, the reduced 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 microfabricated 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 spectrometric 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. Within the IMS detector 152, incoming chemicals may be ionized and 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. Patent No. 7,155,812, filed September 4, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0031] Because the IMS detector 152 can operate at atmospheric pressure, the ionization of chemicals can be considered "soft" in that it minimizes chemical breakdown, i.e., fragmentation. The ionized chemicals (also called ions) are drawn into an IMS drift tube, which may include a Faraday cup detector (not shown) at its end that can count ion charge. The velocity at which ions transit through the IMS drift tube is a function of the ion's size, charge, and interactions with other molecules within the IMS drift tube. Careful measurement of the characteristic transit velocity of the parent ion and its adducts through the IMS drift tube, called a reduced mobility value (i.e., K), 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 suggestive of a seizure are detected, i.e., if one or more compounds among the VOCs suggestive of a seizure are detected at 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 referred to as an app) on a cell phone, smartphone, tablet, or other electronic device, to activate additional alarms. In some instances, sufficient foresight is possible to administer on-demand therapy for an upcoming seizure. Furthermore, 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 VOC concentrations suggestive 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 reactions prior to the seizure. For example, in one embodiment, the seizure detection device 100 can detect a slight increase in a patient's menthone concentration before the occurrence of multiple seizures. The processor can analyze this data to detect a pattern of increased menthone before a seizure and identify the increased menthone as a VOC that indicates the patient is about to have a seizure. The seizure detection device 100 can 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 the 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 the 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 positioned between the wrapper 124 and the trapping material 226, as shown. In other embodiments, the heating element of heater 228 may be integrated with packaging 124. Additionally, mesh 232 may define an inner layer of collector 120 and be positioned between scavenging material 226 and the patient's skin. In an exemplary embodiment, mesh 232 may be formed from a polymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In other embodiments, mesh 232 may be formed from a metallic material or other suitable material known in the art. Mesh 232 may prevent scavenging material 226 from contacting the patient's skin and becoming contaminated by sweat, oil, bacteria, and / or other undesirable elements from the skin.

[0034] In other embodiments, the collector 120 may be configured to collect VOCs 200 through the patient's sweat, saliva, breath (e.g., exhaled air), 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, released into the air through the patient's skin and / or via 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 causes the VOCs 200 received in the adsorbent 226 to be released into a flow path 234 between the heating coil 230 and the adsorbent 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 adsorbent 226 into the flow path 234, the pump 132 then pumps the VOCs 200 from the flow path 234 through the transfer line 134 and into the separator 130 (shown in FIG. 1 ).

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

[0037] These seizure-indicating VOCs have been shown to be present in the pre-seizure phase, and they 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 issued by the seizure detection device 100 may necessarily vary from patient to patient. For reference, seizure-indicating VOCs may persist in a patient's body for approximately 5 to 40 minutes after a seizure, depending on the individual patient's metabolism.

[0038] An exemplary embodiment of the seizure detection device 100 may be small enough so that the seizure detection device 100 can be easily carried with the patient as they go about their daily activities, such as working, exercising, eating, sleeping, etc. Therefore, 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 scavenging material that may be configured to collect volatile organic compounds emitted from a patient's skin, a wrapping material that may be configured to isolate the scavenging material from the external environment, a heater that may include a heating element, and a mesh layer that may be configured to prevent contact of the scavenging material with the patient's skin, wherein the heating element is configured to emit a heat pulse to cause the volatile organic compounds to be emitted from the scavenging material, and wherein the scavenging material is received between the wrapping material 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 wrapping material and interposed between the wrapping material and the scavenging material. In a further exemplary embodiment, the scavenging material may include polydimethylsiloxane. In a further exemplary embodiment, the wrapping material 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 the 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 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 the volatile organic compounds. In a further exemplary embodiment, the detector may be an ion mobility spectrometry detector 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 the volatile organic compounds into or eluting them 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, a 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," "might," "would," or "can," unless specifically stated otherwise or understood in the context in which it is used, is generally intended to convey that some embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or means, while other embodiments do not. 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 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 presented to clearly understand the spirit 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 containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specific logical function or step in the process. Alternative implementations are also included 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 would be 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. Furthermore, 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 directed 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 collection material from the external environment; a heater including a heating element configured to emit a heat pulse to release the volatile organic compounds from the collection material; a mesh layer defining an inner layer of the collector and configured to prevent contact of the collection material with the patient's skin; the trapping material is received between the wrapping material and the mesh layer, the collector is formed as a patch that can be contacted with the patient's skin, and includes a flow path and a transfer tube, the flow path is between the heater and the trapping material, the volatile organic compounds released from the trapping material by the heater are released into the flow path, and the transfer tube transports the volatile organic compounds from the flow path to a separator. Collector.

2. the collection material includes polydimethylsiloxane; 10. 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. 10. 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 packaging material includes an adhesive configured to adhere the collector to the patient's skin.

5. a collector configured as a patch that can be contacted with the patient's skin, the collector including a collection material configured to collect volatile organic compounds released from the patient's skin, the collection material including a flow path and a transfer tube, the flow path being between a heater and the collection material, the volatile organic compounds released from the collection material by the heater being released into the flow path, and the transfer tube delivering the volatile organic compounds from the flow path to a separator; a mesh layer defining an inner layer of the collector and configured to isolate the collection material from the patient's skin; a separator including a gas chromatography column having a chemically selective film, the mixture of volatile organic compounds being configured to elute from the collector and diffuse through the chemically selective film to separate the mixture into its constituent chemicals; an identifier including a detector and a processor; the detector is configured to receive, ionize, and detect the constituent chemicals eluting from the gas chromatography column; the processor is configured to process information about the ionized chemicals and identify specific volatile organic compounds indicative of seizures. Seizure detection device.

6. The seizure detection device of claim 5 , wherein the patch includes an adhesive configured to adhere the collector to the patient's skin.

7. The seizure detection device of claim 5 , wherein the collector comprises a chemically clean packaging configured to isolate the collection material from external environmental contaminants.

8. 6. The seizure detection device of claim 5, further comprising a heater including a heating element configured to emit a heat pulse to cause the volatile organic compounds to be released from the scavenger material.

9. 6. The seizure detection device of claim 5, further comprising a pump, said pump configured to pump said volatile organic compounds through said transfer line and into said separator.

10. 6. The seizure detection device of claim 5, 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.

11. the detector is an ion mobility spectrometry detector including a drift tube; the ionized chemical is configured to travel through the drift tube; The seizure detection device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to calculate a mobility reduction value for the ionized chemical traveling through the drift tube.

12. 6. The seizure detection device of claim 5, wherein the volatile organic compounds include at least one of menthone, menthyl acetate, and 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene.

13. a mesh layer defining an inner layer and configured to isolate the scavenging material from the patient's skin, the patch being formed as a patch that can be contacted with the patient's skin, the patch including a flow path and a transfer tube, the flow path capturing volatile organic compounds in the scavenging material of a collector between the heater and the scavenging material; The volatile organic compounds released from the collection material by the heater are released into the flow path, and the transfer pipe sends the volatile organic compounds from the flow path to a separator; separating the 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.

14. 14. The seizure detection method of claim 13, 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.

15. 14. The seizure detection method of claim 13, wherein separating the mixture of volatile organic compounds into its constituent chemicals using the gas chromatography column includes eluting the volatile organic compounds by diffusion through a chemically selective film of the gas chromatography column.

16. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising injecting the volatile organic compound into a carrier gas to form a gas plug and injecting the gas plug into the gas chromatography column.

17. 14. The seizure detection method of claim 13, 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.

18. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating, with a processor, a signal related to a volatile organic compound indicative of a seizure.

19. a collector configured to collect volatile organic compounds released from the patient's skin; and a collector configured as a patch contactable with the patient's skin, the collector comprising: a trapping material configured to collect volatile organic compounds released from the patient's skin; and a mesh layer defining an inner layer and configured to isolate the trapping material from the patient's skin, the collector including a flow path and a transfer tube, the flow path being between a heater and the trapping material, the volatile organic compounds released from the trapping material by the heater being released into the flow path, and the transfer tube delivering the volatile organic compounds from the flow path to a separator; 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 device.

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