US 12,007,385 B2
Systems and methods for detecting a brain condition
Gregory Kermit Peterson, Centerville, MN (US); Justin Theodore Nelson, Vadnais Heights, MN (US); and Gregory J. Sherwood, White Bear Lake, MN (US)
Assigned to Regents of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Sep. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/941,364.
Application 17/941,364 is a continuation of application No. 16/656,159, filed on Oct. 17, 2019, granted, now 11,442,056.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/747,939, filed on Oct. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0184741 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 33/497 (2006.01); G01N 1/22 (2006.01); G01N 27/22 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 33/497 (2013.01) [G01N 1/2226 (2013.01); G01N 27/227 (2013.01); G01N 2001/2244 (2013.01); G01N 33/4972 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for detecting, treating, and/or monitoring a brain injury in a subject, comprising:
a controller circuit; and
a chemical sensor element, the chemical sensor element comprising a plurality of discrete graphene varactors;
wherein the system is configured to
receive a breath sample from the subject and contact the same with the chemical sensor element;
sense and store capacitance of the discrete graphene varactors across a range of bias voltages to obtain a sample data set;
classify the sample data set into one or more preestablished brain condition classifications by comparing the sample data set against one or more previously determined patterns using a pattern matching or a pattern recognition algorithm, wherein the one or more previously determined patterns are characteristic of specific brain condition states;
identify the subject as having a severe traumatic brain injury;
and initiate a surgical therapy to the subject, wherein the surgical therapy is selected from a group consisting of removing a hematoma, repairing a skull fracture, stopping a brain bleed, and opening a window in a skull of the subject.