Create
Design Project Gallery
AromaVita: Novel Electrobulbogram Patch System for Early Stage Parkinson’s Diagnostics
- Program: Biomedical Engineering
- Course: EN.580.X12 BME Design Team
- Year: 2026
Project Description:
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder currently diagnosed after the onset of motor symptoms. One of the earliest and most consistent symptoms of PD is decreased sense of smell (hyposmia), caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the basal ganglia and appearing up to 10 years prior to motor symptoms. In the US, annual screenings conducted by primary care physicians (PCPs) serve as the first line of intervention in disease detection, and while they regularly test other sensory functions, olfactory testing is excluded. This project aims to develop a routine olfactory screening tool that uses EBG readings to calculate an early-stage Parkinson’s disease risk factor, assisting PCPs in issuing further testing and prompting earlier intervention to slow neurodegeneration.
Project Photo:
The electrobulbogram system includes an adhesive forehead patch equipped with electrodes, a signal acquisition device, and a smell dispenser. During the assessment, the device captures electrical signals from the olfactory bulb as the patient is exposed to three distinct odors.
