Odor emission device and odor inspection device

Abstract

To provide an odor-emitting device capable of eliminating ambiguity in inspection.SOLUTION: An odor-emitting device 10 is provided, comprising a dilution unit 130 configured to dilute an odor source by an arbitrary factor by mixing the odor source with air, a control unit 110 configured to change the dilution factor used by the dilution unit 130, an odor supply unit 120 configured to supply the odor source to the dilution unit 130, and a discharge unit 140 configured to discharge the odor remaining in an odor flow channel of the dilution unit 130.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to an odor emission device and an odor inspection device. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Techniques for inspecting the olfactory function of humans have been proposed. 【0003】 Patent Document 1 discloses an olfactory inspection device used for inspecting the olfactory function. The olfactory inspection device disclosed in Patent Document 1 generates an odor gas with a defined concentration or intensity by switching a plurality of odor gas cylinders containing known odor substances or controlling the ratio of the flow rate of the odor gas, and alternately supplies the odor gas or odorless gas to the subject, and has a configuration in which the subject can make a voluntary display when smelling the odor substance. 【0004】 Patent Document 2 discloses a measuring device for volatile components in which a large number of vials are installed in parallel in a carrier gas flow path via on-off valves, discharge pipes connected to each vial are connected to corresponding ports of a selection mixing section, and while the ports are connected to a discharge port, a branch pipe branched from a makeup gas port is connected to a pipe communicating with each port. 【0005】 In Japan, an inspection method using a T&T olfactometer has become a standard for olfactory function inspection. For each of the five types of standard odors, eight levels of concentration are set in the T&T olfactometer. A standard odor is applied to the tip of a long and narrow filter paper (odor paper), and the detection threshold and recognition threshold of the subject are inspected by presenting it to the subject starting from the lower concentration. The detection threshold is the threshold of the concentration at which an odor is felt, and the recognition threshold is the threshold of the concentration at which the type of odor can be determined. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0006】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent No. 6695609 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6086677 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve] 【0007】 However, the T&T olfactometer-based testing method, while relying on the subject's self-awareness, also relies on the judgment of the physician conducting the test, thus lacking objectivity. Furthermore, the T&T olfactometer-based testing method often resulted in subjects being unsure whether their answers were correct or incorrect, which affected the results. In short, conventional testing methods inherently contained ambiguity in their test results. 【0008】 The present invention aims to provide an odor emission device and an odor inspection device that can eliminate the ambiguity in inspection results that occurred during inspections. [Means for solving the problem] 【0009】 To achieve the above objectives, an odor emission device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a dilution unit that dilutes an odorant to an arbitrary ratio by mixing it with air; a control unit that changes the dilution ratio by the dilution unit; an odor supply unit that supplies the odorant to the dilution unit; and an exhaust unit that discharges the odor remaining in the odor flow path of the dilution unit. 【0010】 The dilution portion may be heated to a predetermined temperature. 【0011】 The dilution section may have multiple flow paths. 【0012】 The system may further include a humidifier that humidifies the odor-containing gas diluted in the dilution unit to a predetermined humidity level. 【0013】 The discharge unit may immediately discharge any remaining odor in the odor flow path of the dilution unit as soon as the diluted odor is released from the dilution unit. 【0014】 To achieve the above objective, an odor testing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a presentation unit that presents a person being tested with correct options, incorrect options, options in which no odor was detected, and options in which an odor was detected but the person could not identify the odor, and a modification unit that changes the dilution ratio of the odor emitted by the odor testing device by the dilution unit, according to the person being tested's selection result for the options presented by the presentation unit, under the control of the control unit. 【0015】 The display unit may present each of the above options as text or an image. 【0016】 The modified part may change the type of odor or dilution ratio emitted by the odor emission device according to the person being inspected. 【0017】 The modified part may change the dilution ratio of the odor while the odor release device is releasing the odor. 【0018】 The system may further include a determination unit that determines the olfactory detection threshold and recognition threshold of the person being tested, in accordance with the person's selection result from the options presented by the presentation unit. 【0019】 The determination unit may, if the subject responds that they do not smell anything and selects an incorrect smell option or an option indicating they smelled something but don't know what it is, set that concentration as the subject's detection threshold. The determination unit may also, if the subject selects a correct smell option in the next concentration stage after selecting an incorrect smell option or an option indicating they smelled something but don't know what it is, set that concentration as the subject's recognition threshold. 【0020】 The determination unit may estimate the olfactory age of the person being tested. [Effects of the Invention] 【0021】 According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an odor emission device and an odor inspection device that can eliminate the ambiguity that occurred in inspections. 【Brief Description of the Drawings】 【0022】 [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the odor inspection system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing a configuration example of the odor emission device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing a configuration example of the odor emission device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration example of the odor inspection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the odor inspection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the olfactory inspection process by the odor inspection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory diagram showing examples of the types of odors emitted by the odor emission device and the concentrations of each odor. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed by the odor inspection device when performing an olfactory inspection. 【0023】 Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described while referring to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent components and parts are given the same reference numerals. Also, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may be different from the actual ratios. 【0024】 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the odor inspection system according to the present embodiment. The odor inspection system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes an odor emission device 10 and an odor inspection device 20. 【0025】 【0026】 The odor emission device 10 is a device that emits an odor to a subject who undergoes an olfactory inspection using the odor inspection system 1. The odor emission device 10 dilutes a fragrance that is a component of the odor to a predetermined magnification and emits it during the olfactory inspection.The odor testing device 20 is a device used to test the olfactory sense of a person being tested, and is a computer such as a personal computer or workstation. The odor testing device 20 is a device for testing the olfactory sense of a person being tested by having the person being tested answer what kind of smell the smell emitted by the odor emission device 10 is. When the person being tested is asked to answer about the smell, the odor testing device 20 presents the following options: a diagram of the correct smell, a diagram of an incorrect smell, the option to say that they smelled something but didn't know what it was, and the option to say that there was no smell. The odor testing device 20 presents multiple diagrams of incorrect smells. Depending on the person being tested's answer, the odor testing device 20 can increase the concentration of the smell emitted from the odor emission device 10 or make a judgment about the person's olfactory sense. 【0027】 This section outlines an olfactory test using the odor testing system 1 according to this embodiment. When conducting an olfactory test on a subject, the testing system 1 releases odors from the odor emitter 10 in progressively increasing concentrations. If the subject responds that they do not perceive an odor, and at the next concentration level, they select an incorrect odor option or an option indicating they smelled an odor but did not know what it was, that concentration level is set as the subject's detection threshold. Furthermore, the testing system 1 releases odors from the odor emitter 10 in progressively increasing concentrations. If the subject selects a correct odor option at the next concentration level after selecting an incorrect odor option or an option indicating they smelled an odor but did not know what it was, that concentration level is set as the subject's recognition threshold. 【0028】 The odor testing system 1 according to this embodiment has the above configuration and can objectively determine the detected concentration and perceived concentration of the subject by performing an olfactory test on the subject while sequentially increasing the concentration of the odor. 【0029】 Next, an example of the configuration of the odor emission device 10 according to this embodiment will be described. 【0030】 Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of the odor emission device 10 according to this embodiment. The odor emission device 10 comprises a control unit 110, an odor supply unit 120, a dilution unit 130, a discharge unit 140, and an odor emission unit 150. 【0031】 The control unit 110 supplies air adjusted to a desired flow rate to the odor supply unit 120 and the dilution unit 130. The control unit 110 includes a pipe 111 through which air flows, a flow meter 112 for measuring the flow rate of air flowing through the pipe 111, an electromagnetic valve 113 for adjusting the flow rate of air flowing through the pipe 111, and a humidifier 114 for supplying humidified air to the final stage of the dilution unit 130. 【0032】 When performing an olfactory test using the odor testing system 1, the control unit 110 adjusts the amount of air supplied to the dilution unit 130 based on instructions from the odor testing device 20 by adjusting the electromagnetic valve 113. For example, if the odor testing device 20 instructs that the odor components in the odor supply unit 120 be diluted 1000 times, the control unit 110 adjusts the amount of air supplied to the dilution unit 130 to dilute the odor components in the odor supply unit 120 1000 times. 【0033】 The odor supply unit 120 contains a liquid fragrance 121 that serves as the base for the odor components. The fragrance 121 is supplied to the dilution unit 130 in response to the supply of air from the control unit 110. The odor supply unit 120 may be heated to a predetermined temperature, for example, a few to 10 degrees higher than room temperature. Heating the odor supply unit 120 to a predetermined temperature makes it easier for the odor components to be supplied to the dilution unit 130 compared to when it is not heated. 【0034】 Furthermore, the volatilization rate of fragrance 121 may be controlled by bubbling or other means. In addition, components of fragrance 121 that have a low threshold and are easily adsorbed may be held in the adsorbent, and then air may be passed through the adsorbent containing the components to release them from the fragrance supply unit 120. 【0035】 The dilution unit 130 dilutes the odor components supplied from the odor supply unit 120 to a predetermined ratio with air supplied from the control unit 110. The dilution unit 130 includes a dilution chamber 131 for mixing the odor components supplied from the odor supply unit 120 with air supplied from the control unit 110, activated carbon 132 for removing unwanted odor components, and a valve 133 for releasing the gas, which is a mixture of odor components and air, from the odor release unit 150. Humidified air from the humidifier 114 is supplied to the valve 133, and the gas is released from the odor release unit 150 in a humidified state. By releasing the gas from the odor release unit 150 in a humidified state, it is possible to suppress the drying of the nasal cavity of the person being examined during the examination compared to when the gas is not humidified. It is desirable that the humidifier 114 be mounted in a predetermined direction, for example, diagonally. 【0036】 In this embodiment, the dilution unit 130 reduces the odor concentration sequentially by mixing the odor components supplied from the odor supply unit 120 in three stages using three dilution chambers 131. The number of dilution chambers 131 is not limited to this example. The number of branches in the pipe 111 provided in the control unit 110 is provided in accordance with the number of dilution chambers 131. A valve may also be provided to prevent the gas mixed in the dilution chambers 131 from flowing back into the preceding odor supply unit 120 or dilution chambers 131. 【0037】 The dilution unit 130 may be heated to a predetermined temperature, for example, a few degrees to about 350 degrees higher than room temperature, and preferably to a temperature of about 150 to 200 degrees higher than room temperature. The odor supply unit 120 and the dilution unit 130 may be controlled separately or together. 【0038】 The discharge unit 140 discharges the air remaining in the dilution unit 130. The reason for discharging the air remaining in the dilution unit 130 is that if air remains in the dilution unit 130 during continuous olfactory testing, it may not be possible to dilute to the correct ratio. The discharge unit 140 comprises a pipe 141, a flow meter 142 for measuring the flow rate of air flowing through the pipe 141, a solenoid valve 143 for adjusting the flow rate of air flowing through the pipe 141, and a pump 144 for releasing the air from the pipe 141 to the outside. The pipe 141, flow meter 142, solenoid valve 143, and pump 144 are provided for each line of the dilution unit 130. In the example shown in Figure 2, four pipes 141, four flow meters 142, four solenoid valves 143, and four pumps 144 are provided. Therefore, the discharge unit 140 can independently discharge the air containing odor components remaining in each line of the dilution unit 130. The air discharged by the discharge unit 140 may be stored in a container (not shown) or the like. 【0039】 Odor components diluted in the dilution unit 130 are released from the odor release unit 150. The person being tested can smell the odor released from the odor release unit 150 by placing their nasal cavity against it. When odor components are released from the odor release unit 150, the discharge unit 140 may immediately discharge the air containing odor components remaining in each line of the dilution unit 130. By immediately discharging the air from the discharge unit 140, it is possible to prevent odors from remaining inside the device during continuous testing. 【0040】 The odor release device 10 has the configuration shown in Figure 2, which allows it to release odor components diluted to any desired ratio from the odor release unit 150. 【0041】 The odor release device 10 may be equipped with multiple control units 110, odor supply units 120, dilution units 130, and discharge units 140, so that odor is released from one system while other systems are cleaned and residual odor components are discharged. 【0042】 Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of the odor emission device 10 according to this embodiment. The odor emission device 10 shown in Figure 3 comprises control units 110A and 110B, odor supply units 120A and 120B, dilution unit 130, discharge units 140A and 140B, and odor emission unit 150. The odor emission device 10 shown in Figure 3 emits different odors from two separate systems: one consisting of the control unit 110A, odor supply unit 120A, and dilution unit 130, and the other consisting of the control unit 110B, odor supply unit 120B, and dilution unit 130. 【0043】 The control unit 110A includes a pipe 111A through which air flows, a flow meter 112A for measuring the flow rate of air flowing through pipe 111A, a solenoid valve 113A for adjusting the flow rate of air flowing through pipe 111A, and a humidifier 114A for supplying humidified air to the final stage of the dilution unit 130. Similarly, the control unit 110B includes a pipe 111B, a flow meter 112B, a solenoid valve 113B, and a humidifier 114B. 【0044】 The odor supply unit 120A contains liquid fragrance 121A, which is the base for the odor components. The odor supply unit 120B contains liquid fragrance 121B, which is the base for a different odor component than fragrance 121A. 【0045】 The dilution unit 130 includes dilution chambers 131A and 131B that mix odor components supplied from the odor supply unit 120 with air supplied from the control unit 110, activated carbon 132A and 132B that remove unwanted odor components, and valves 133A and 133B that release the gas, which is a mixture of odor components and air, from the odor release unit 150. 【0046】 The discharge section 140A includes a pipe 141A, a flow meter 142A for measuring the flow rate of air flowing through pipe 141A, a solenoid valve 143A for adjusting the flow rate of air flowing through pipe 141A, and a pump 144A for releasing the air from pipe 141A to the outside. Similarly, the discharge section 140B includes a pipe 141B, a flow meter 142B, a solenoid valve 143B, and a pump 144B. 【0047】 The control unit 110 and the odor supply unit 120, the control unit 110 and the dilution unit 130, and the dilution unit 130 and the discharge unit 140 are each connected by connectors and are configured to be detachable. 【0048】 The odor release device 10, having the configuration shown in Figure 3, can release odor components diluted to any desired ratio from the odor release section 150. Furthermore, the odor release device 10, having the configuration shown in Figure 3, can release odor from one system while simultaneously cleaning other systems and discharging any remaining odor components. 【0049】 Next, we will describe an example configuration of an odor testing device 20 that performs an olfactory test on a subject using an odor emission device 10. 【0050】 Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the odor testing device 20. 【0051】 As shown in Figure 4, the odor inspection device 20 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, ROM (Read Only Memory) 22, RAM (Random Access Memory) 23, storage 24, input unit 25, display unit 26, and communication interface (I / F) 27. Each component is connected to the others via a bus 29 so as to be able to communicate with each other. 【0052】 The CPU 21 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each component. Specifically, the CPU 21 reads a program from the ROM 22 or storage 24 and executes the program using the RAM 23 as a working area. The CPU 21 controls each of the above components and performs various calculations according to the program recorded in the ROM 22 or storage 24. In this embodiment, the ROM 22 or storage 24 stores an olfactory test program for performing an olfactory test on the person being tested. 【0053】 ROM22 stores various programs and data. RAM23 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. Storage24 consists of storage devices such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory, and stores various programs, including the operating system, and various data. 【0054】 The input unit 25 includes a pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard, and is used for various types of input. 【0055】 The display unit 26 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays various information. The display unit 26 may also function as an input unit 25 by employing a touch panel system. 【0056】 The communication interface 27 is an interface for communicating with other devices such as the odor emission device 10, and standards such as Ethernet®, FDDI, and Wi-Fi® can be used. 【0057】 When executing the above olfactory testing program, the odor testing device 20 uses the above hardware resources to implement various functions. The functional configuration implemented by the odor testing device 20 will now be described. 【0058】 Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the odor testing device 20. 【0059】 As shown in Figure 5, the odor testing device 20 has a functional configuration consisting of a presentation unit 201, a modification unit 202, and a determination unit 203. Each functional configuration is realized by the CPU 21 reading and executing an olfactory testing program stored in the ROM 22 or storage 24. 【0060】 The display unit 201 presents a screen for the olfactory test to the display unit 26. The screen for the olfactory test presented by the display unit 201 includes options for the correct odor emitted by the odor emitter 10, options for incorrect odors that are not emitted by the odor emitter 10, options for detecting an odor but not knowing what it is, and options for not detecting an odor. An example of the screen presented by the display unit 201 will be described later. 【0061】 The modification unit 202 instructs the odor emitter 10 to change the concentration of the odor emitted by the odor emitter 10. When performing an olfactory test on a person being tested using the odor testing system 1, the odor emitter 10 first emits the lowest concentration of odor it can emit, allowing the person being tested to smell it and select one of the options presented by the presentation unit 201. The modification unit 202 instructs the odor emitter 10 to change the concentration of the odor emitted by the odor emitter 10 according to the person's selection of the option presented by the presentation unit 201. 【0062】 The modification unit 202 may change the dilution ratio of the odor while the odor emission device 10 is emitting the odor from the odor emission unit 150. By changing the dilution ratio of the odor while the odor emission unit 150 is emitting the odor, it is possible to test whether the person being tested perceived a change in concentration during the test. 【0063】 The decision unit 203 determines the olfactory detection threshold and recognition threshold of the test subject according to the test subject's selection result for the options presented by the presentation unit 201. If the test subject responds that they do not smell anything, and at the next concentration level, the decision unit 203 selects an incorrect smell option or an option indicating that they smelled something but did not know what it was, then that concentration level is set as the test subject's detection threshold. Furthermore, if the test subject selects a correct smell option at the next concentration level after selecting an incorrect smell option or an option indicating that they smelled something but did not know what it was, then the decision unit 203 sets that concentration level as the test subject's recognition threshold. 【0064】 The decision unit 203 may estimate the olfactory age of the person being tested based on the person's selection result for the options presented by the presentation unit 201. When estimating the olfactory age of the person being tested, the decision unit 203 may use information regarding the correspondence between the concentration of odor components and the age at which odors of that concentration can be detected. 【0065】 The odor testing device 20, with the configuration shown in Figure 5, allows the subject to smell the odor emitted from the odor emission device 10 while gradually increasing the concentration, enabling the subject to determine their odor detection threshold and recognition threshold in a single test. The odor testing device 20, with the configuration shown in Figure 5, makes it possible to perform olfactory testing that eliminates the ambiguity that occurred in previous tests. 【0066】 Next, the operation of the odor testing device 20 will be explained. 【0067】 Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the olfactory testing process by the odor testing device 20. The CPU 21 reads the olfactory testing program from the ROM 22 or storage 24, loads it into the RAM 23, and executes it to perform the olfactory testing process. Before the olfactory testing process is performed by the odor testing device 20, any gas remaining in the dilution unit 130 is discharged by the discharge unit 140. 【0068】 In step S101, the odor testing device 20 first releases the lowest concentration of odor that the odor release device 10 can release. The lower limit of the concentration may vary depending on the odor source. Specifically, the odor testing device 20 controls the control unit 110 to supply air to the dilution unit 130 so that the odor is released at the lowest concentration that the odor release device 10 can release, and then opens the valve 133 of the dilution unit 130 to release the odor from the odor release unit 150. 【0069】 Next, in step S102, the odor testing device 20 determines whether the subject's response to the odor emitted by the odor emission device 10 indicates that they detected an odor. A response indicating that the subject detected an odor is one of the following: selecting the correct option, selecting the incorrect option, or selecting the option that they detected an odor but did not know what it was. 【0070】 If, as a result of the judgment in step S102, the subject's answer is that they detected an odor (step S102; Yes), then in step S103, the odor testing device 20 uses the concentration of the odor emitted by the odor emission device 10 as the subject's odor detection threshold. 【0071】 On the other hand, if the result of the judgment in step S102 is that the subject's choice is not an answer indicating that they smelled an odor (step S102; No), the odor testing device 20 increases the concentration of the odor emitted by the odor emission device 10 by one level in step S104, prompts the subject to select an option again, and returns to the odor emission process from the odor emission device 10 in step S101. When the odor testing device 20 increases the concentration of the odor emitted by the odor emission device 10 by one level, it discharges any gas remaining in the dilution unit 130 through the discharge unit 140. 【0072】 Following step S103, in step S105, the odor testing device 20 determines whether the person being tested has selected the correct option in response to the odor emitted by the odor emission device 10. 【0073】 If, as a result of the judgment in step S105, the person being tested has answered with the correct option (step S105; Yes), then in step S106, the odor testing device 20 uses the concentration of the odor emitted by the odor emission device 10 as the person being tested's odor perception threshold. 【0074】 On the other hand, if the result of the judgment in step S105 is that the person being tested has not answered with the correct option (step S105; No), the odor testing device 20 increases the concentration of the odor emitted by the odor emission device 10 by one level in step S107. When the odor testing device 20 increases the concentration of the odor emitted by the odor emission device 10 by one level, it discharges any gas remaining in the dilution unit 130 through the discharge unit 140. Subsequently, in step S108, the odor testing device 20 releases an odor from the odor emission device 10, prompting the person being tested to select an option again, and returns to the judgment process in step S105. 【0075】 Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing examples of the types of odors emitted by the odor emitter 10 and their respective concentrations. The types of odors emitted by the odor emitter 10 are those used in the T&T Olfactometer. The odor emitter 10 is set to emit five types of odors at the eight concentration levels shown in Figure 7. 【0076】 By performing the aforementioned process, the odor testing device 20 can perform olfactory testing that eliminates the ambiguity that occurred in the previous test. 【0077】 Next, an example of the screen displayed on the display unit 26 by the odor testing device 20 during an olfactory test is shown. 【0078】 Figure 8 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 26 by the odor testing device 20 when conducting an olfactory test. Figure 8 shows an example of a screen that asks the test subject to answer what kind of smell the odor emitted by the odor emission device 10 was. The odor testing device 20 displays four options on the display unit 26: correct, incorrect, smelled an odor but couldn't identify it, and odorless. The options can be a combination of pictures and text, pictures only, text only, or any combination of these. Furthermore, there is no limit to the number of options that the odor testing device 20 can display on the display unit 26; it should be determined according to the type of odor emitted and the number of concentrations set. 【0079】 The odor testing system 1 according to this embodiment allows for the free modification of the type or concentration of odor emitted from the odor emission device 10 and the options presented by the odor testing device 20. Therefore, by arbitrarily changing the settings of the odor emission device 10 or the odor testing device 20, the odor testing system 1 according to this embodiment can also be used to train the olfactory and cognitive functions of the person being tested by having them smell the odor several times a day or every day. 【0080】 In addition, the olfactory testing process that the CPU reads and executes in each of the above embodiments may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of such processors include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacturing, and dedicated electrical circuits that are processors with circuit configurations specifically designed to execute specific processes, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). Furthermore, the olfactory testing process may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, and a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). More specifically, the hardware structure of these various processors is an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements. 【0081】 Furthermore, while the above embodiments describe a configuration in which the olfactory testing program is pre-stored (installed) in ROM or storage, the invention is not limited to this. The program may be provided in a form recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory), or USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. Alternatively, the program may be provided in a form that can be downloaded from an external device via a network. 【0082】 Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art of the present invention that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and these various modifications or alterations are also understood to fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols] 【0083】 1. Odor Inspection System 10 Odor release device 20 Odor testing device 110 Control Unit 111 pipes 112 Flow meter 113 Solenoid valve 114 Humidifier 120 Odor supply unit 121 Fragrance 130 dilution parts 131 Dilution Chamber 132 Activated carbon 133 Valves 140 Discharge section 141 pipes 142 Flow meter 143 Solenoid valve 144 pumps 150 Odor release section

Claims

[Claim 1] A dilution unit that dilutes the odor-causing agent to a desired ratio by mixing it with air, A control unit that changes the dilution ratio by the dilution unit, A fragrance supply unit that supplies the aforementioned fragrance element to the dilution unit, A discharge unit for discharging residual odor in the odor flow path of the dilution unit, Equipped with, The dilution unit comprises a plurality of dilution chambers, and the odor components supplied from the odor supply unit are mixed in multiple stages by the plurality of dilution chambers, thereby sequentially reducing the odor concentration. The discharge unit is provided for each of the plurality of dilution chambers of the dilution unit, and is an odor discharge device that independently discharges the odor remaining in each of the plurality of dilution chambers. [Claim 2] The odor emission device according to claim 1, wherein the dilution section is heated to a predetermined temperature. [Claim 3] The odor emission device according to claim 1, wherein the dilution section comprises a plurality of flow paths. [Claim 4] The odor emission device according to claim 1, further comprising a humidifier for humidifying the odor-containing gas diluted in the dilution section to a predetermined humidity. [Claim 5] The odor discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge unit immediately discharges any odor remaining in the odor flow path of the dilution unit as soon as the odor diluted in the dilution unit is released. [Claim 6] A display unit that presents a person who smells the odor emitted by the odor-emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 with a correct answer option, an incorrect answer option, an option where no odor was detected, and an option where an odor was detected but the person could not identify the odor. A modification unit that, in accordance with the selection result of the person being tested from the options presented by the presentation unit, changes the dilution ratio of the odor emitted by the odor emission device by the dilution unit, under the control of the control unit, A smell testing device equipped with the following features. [Claim 7] The odor testing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display unit displays each of the above options in text or images. [Claim 8] The odor testing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the modification part changes the type of odor or dilution ratio emitted by the odor emission device according to the person being tested. [Claim 9] The odor testing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the modified part changes the dilution ratio of the odor while the odor emission device is emitting the odor. [Claim 10] The odor testing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a determination unit that determines the olfactory detection threshold and recognition threshold of the person being tested according to the person being tested's selection result from the options presented by the presentation unit. [Claim 11] The odor testing device according to claim 10, wherein the determination unit, in the concentration following the stage in which the person being tested responds that they do not smell anything, selects an incorrect odor option or an option indicating that they smelled something but do not know what it is, and sets that concentration as the person being tested's detection threshold, and in the concentration following the stage in which the person being tested selects an incorrect odor option or an option indicating that they smelled something but do not know what it is, selects a correct odor option, and sets that concentration as the person being tested's recognition threshold. [Claim 12] The odor testing device according to claim 10, wherein the determination unit estimates the olfactory age of the person being tested.

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