Adaptive Olfactory Threshold Testing With Bayesian Trial Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional olfactory tests are inefficient and cumbersome, often requiring the same set of trials for all users, failing to account for individual differences in olfactory abilities, and are challenging for elderly or cognitively impaired individuals, while odor detection tests are underutilized due to stimulus control and duration issues.
Innovation Solution
A computerized method using an adaptive Bayesian algorithm guides users through a customizable series of olfactory trials, adjusting based on individual responses to optimize the number and type of trials needed to determine an accurate odor detection threshold, utilizing a software application and physical test cards with varying odorant concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional olfactory tests use the same set of trials for all users, then the test structure is simple and easy to administer, but the test efficiency is low and does not account for individual differences in olfactory abilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic test adaptation where the trial sequence is automatically adjusted based on real-time user responses. The system transitions from a static, fixed trial structure to a dynamic structure that adapts to individual performance, optimizing the number and difficulty of trials for each user while maintaining ease of administration through automated computerized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes test parameters (trial difficulty, concentration levels, number of trials) based on user performance. The computerized platform automatically modifies these parameters in real-time, allowing the test to adapt to individual olfactory abilities without requiring complex manual adjustment procedures.
2Measurement precision
If odor detection tests are administered with sufficient trials to ensure accuracy, then the measurement precision is high, but the test duration becomes excessive and stimulus control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by administering only the necessary number of trials required to achieve accurate threshold measurement for each individual user. Rather than requiring all users to complete a fixed large number of trials, the system stops when sufficient precision is achieved, reducing overall test duration while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time feedback from user responses to adjust the number and difficulty of subsequent trials. This feedback mechanism allows the test to converge on the odor detection threshold efficiently, avoiding unnecessary trials while ensuring sufficient data for accurate measurement.
3Ease of operation
If traditional olfactory tests require cognitive tasks like odor identification and discrimination, then comprehensive olfactory assessment is achieved, but the ease of operation decreases for elderly or cognitively impaired individuals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the core detection function from the complex identification and discrimination tasks. By focusing specifically on odor detection threshold measurement rather than requiring full identification or discrimination capabilities, the system simplifies the cognitive demands while still providing valuable olfactory assessment data for populations with cognitive impairments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the assessment parameters from complex cognitive tasks (identification, discrimination) to simpler detection tasks. This parameter change makes the test more accessible to elderly and cognitively impaired individuals while still providing meaningful olfactory function data through threshold measurement.
Data Source
AI summary
An olfactory test comprising an olfactory test article including a plurality of trials that each has an associated concentration of a stimulus of interest. Aspects of the present disclosure further relate to software application that guides a user through conducting the olfactory test based at least in part on the user's responses to trials of the olfactory test article, such that the user can be guided through a custom order of trials, and therefore different concentrations of the stimuli of interest, based at least in part on the user's responses to the trials as the user performs the olfactory test.