Designing and customizing an olfactometer for neuroscience/anesthesia research
Problem statement
Olfactory research has long been ignored in the medical field even though it is one of the five senses which guide our daily lives. Olfactory research is necessary in order to prevent negative consequences during anesthesia and improve the effectiveness of anesthetics during surgery. Existing olfactometer designs are expensive and are not extremely available on the market. As a result, the closest olfactometer is over 150 miles away from the UW campus, thus preventing the research from being conducted here. Our design is an inexpensive solution to the problem, costing under $6000 as well as provides custom features for the client such as a direct line for oxygen delivery. By using our design, the Sanders Lab will pioneer research in olfactory responses during anesthetic applications.
Team members
Hanna Kenney – leader
Mitchell Mikulsky – communicator
Ryan Quinn – accountant
Client
Cameron Casey, Sanders Lab