The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring breath alcohol concentration of a user. A flow of an expired breath sample is passed through a fuel cell sensor giving an output signal proportional to the amount of alcohol present in the breath sample. By measuring the flow rate, the volume of the breath sample may be calculated, whereas the breath alcohol concentration is calculated based on the fuel cell output signal. Both the sample volume and the breath alcohol concentration values are continually updated by integrating the measured instantaneous flow rate and the fuel cell output signal over time. If the user stops blowing, flow compensation is performed to obtain a compensated fuel cell output signal using a stored calibration volume. Hence, an improved method for accurately measuring the breath alcohol concentration of a test person is achieved, capable of handling varied expired volumes of breath, which obviates the need for a sampling mechanism.

In order to objectively grasp a stress state of a user and to prevent postpartum depression, biological gas information is acquired via a network, where the biological gas information indicates a concentration of 2-phenoxyethanol of the user and is obtained by a sensor that detects 2-phenoxyethanol released from a skin surface of the user. From a memory storing information including an upper limit of a normal range of the concentration of 2-phenoxyethanol per unit period, the information indicating the upper limit of the normal range is read out. When a frequency in the unit period with which the concentration of 2-phenoxyethanol of the user exceeds the upper limit of the normal range is determined to have an increasing tendency based on the biological gas information obtained during a pregnancy period of the user, the information related to stress of the user is output to an information terminal of the user.

The present invention provides devices, test strip and methods for testing breastmilk and providing feedback for improving the quality thereof.

Disclosed herein is a method for quantifying phosphatidylethanol (“PEth”), a direct ethanol biomarker, from a blood sample using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The method disclosed herein is useful for diagnosing acute and chronic alcohol abuse.

Disclosed herein is a method for quantifying phosphatidylethanol (“PEth”), a direct ethanol biomarker, from a blood sample using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The method disclosed herein is useful for diagnosing acute and chronic alcohol abuse.

A method of detection of an analyte includes using a detector array having at least two detector elements that can emit electromagnetic waves, and selectively connecting a transmit circuit to any one or more of the at least two detector elements of the detector array. At least one transmit signal is generated using the transmit circuit, where the at least one transmit signal is in a radio or microwave frequency or visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The at least one transmit signal is transmitted into a target containing at least one analyte of interest using the one or more of the at least two detector elements connected to the transmit circuit. A receive circuit is selectively connected to a different one or more of the at least two detector elements of the detector array, and the receive circuit and the different one or more of the at least two detector elements of the detector array are used to detect a response resulting from transmission of the at least one transmit signal into the target containing the at least one analyte of interest.

A method of detection of an analyte includes using a detector array having at least two detector elements that can emit electromagnetic waves, and selectively connecting a transmit circuit to any one or more of the at least two detector elements of the detector array. At least one transmit signal is generated using the transmit circuit, where the at least one transmit signal is in a radio or microwave frequency or visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The at least one transmit signal is transmitted into a target containing at least one analyte of interest using the one or more of the at least two detector elements connected to the transmit circuit. A receive circuit is selectively connected to a different one or more of the at least two detector elements of the detector array, and the receive circuit and the different one or more of the at least two detector elements of the detector array are used to detect a response resulting from transmission of the at least one transmit signal into the target containing the at least one analyte of interest.

In a first aspect, there is a device for detecting a substance within blood, including a collecting tube dimensioned to draw in blood through capillary action; a reagent chamber containing a reactive element; and a connector tube providing fluid communication between the reagent chamber and the collecting tube; wherein the connector tubes are dimensioned to draw in blood through capillary action to the reagent chamber. In other aspects, the device can include an outer casing and/or a plurality of reagent chambers each with a reactive element therein.

In a first aspect, there is a device for detecting a substance within blood, including a collecting tube dimensioned to draw in blood through capillary action; a reagent chamber containing a reactive element; and a connector tube providing fluid communication between the reagent chamber and the collecting tube; wherein the connector tubes are dimensioned to draw in blood through capillary action to the reagent chamber. In other aspects, the device can include an outer casing and/or a plurality of reagent chambers each with a reactive element therein.

An apparatus for controlling alcohol interlock includes a sensor that senses an environment of a driver's seat and a camera that obtains a face image of a passenger and an image of exhalation of the passenger. A controller activates a start lock mode of a vehicle and determines whether a condition for detecting components of the exhalation of the passenger is satisfied based on the environment of the driver's seat. The controller determines whether the exhalation of the passenger is exhalation of a driver based on the face image of the passenger and the image of the exhalation of the passenger, and determines whether to detect alcohol concentration in the exhalation of the passenger based on the determination result.