A volatile organic compound collector can include a collector material configured to collect volatile organic compounds given off from a patient's skin; a wrapping configured to isolate the collector material from an external environment; a heater comprising a heating element, the heating element configured to emit a thermal pulse to desorb the volatile organic compounds from the collector material; and a mesh layer configured to prevent the collector material from contacting the patient's skin, wherein the collector material is received between the wrapping and the mesh layer.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

A method of mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: providing an analyte; supplying a matrix compound to said analyte such that said analyte dissolves in said matrix; forming first droplets of the dissolved analyte; and colliding said first droplets with a collision surface. The use of matrix improves the analyte ion signal.

A volatile organic compound collector can include a collector material configured to collect volatile organic compounds given off from a patient's skin; a wrapping configured to isolate the collector material from an external environment; a heater comprising a heating element, the heating element configured to emit a thermal pulse to desorb the volatile organic compounds from the collector material; and a mesh layer configured to prevent the collector material from contacting the patient's skin, wherein the collector material is received between the wrapping and the mesh layer.

An apparatus is disclosed including a tool comprising a first device for generating aerosol from a target, the first device being deployed through an opening in a tubing of the tool, wherein the tubing is provided with aspiration ports or fenestrations such that the generated aerosol is aspirated into the tubing via the aspiration ports or fenestrations. The aspirated aerosol is then transferred to a mass spectrometer for subsequent mass analysis.

A method is disclosed comprising obtaining or acquiring chemical or other non-mass spectrometric data from one or more regions of a target (2) using a chemical sensor (20). The chemical or other non-mass spectrometric data may be used to determine one or more regions of interest of the target (2). An ambient ionisation ion source 1 may then be used to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour (5) from one or more regions of the target (2).

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.

An incontinence detection system includes an incontinence detection pad underneath a patient's pelvic area for detecting an incontinence event. The incontinence detection system further includes a moisture detection sensor, a gas detection sensor, and a reader. The moisture detection sensor is embedded in the incontinence detection pad for detecting a presence of moisture in incontinence detection pad. The gas detection sensor is positioned near the incontinence detection pad for detecting a presence of targeted gas, such as methane. The reader is communicatively coupled to the moisture detection sensor and the gas detection sensor to receive moisture data and gas data, respectively. The reader is configured to determine a type of the incontinence event based on the received moisture data and the gas data and transmit a signal indicative of the type of incontinence event to a server.

An apparatus for performing ambient ionisation mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a substantially cylindrical, tubular, rod-shaped, coil-shaped, helical or spiral-shaped collision assembly; and a first device arranged and adapted to direct analyte, smoke, fumes, liquid, gas, surgical smoke, aerosol or vapour onto said collision assembly.

A method of detecting a seizure includes collecting volatile organic compounds with a collector material of a collector; separating a mixture of the volatile organic compounds into its constituent chemicals with a gas chromatography column; ionizing the constituent chemicals to create ionized chemicals and detecting the ionized chemicals; and analyzing the ionized chemicals to identify seizure-indicative volatile organic compounds.