Apparatus and Method of Washed Hand and Object Detection

Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus for contaminant detection of body parts, such as hands, and or their coverings, such as clean room suits or gloves, and small objects. Particularly, the method and apparatus involve collecting air samples containing aerosolized contaminate particles from the objects and analyzing the sample for presence of a contaminate. Aerosol lab-on-a-chip and/or electronic nose devices are utilized for the detection of contaminant particles. Also included is a system and method for monitoring an individual's hand hygiene or an object's cleanliness using a washing substance containing one or more chemical odor markers and a touchless detector for detecting the odor markers and generating a signal based on such detection. The detector may be handheld or portable. The system may also employ a mechanism for identifying the individual, and may employ one or more remote devices for monitoring or indicating the results of the detection.

1 . A system for monitoring an individual's hand hygiene comprising:
 a hand washing substance comprising a chemical odor marker, said odor marker comprising a detectable odor marker vapor; and   a detector for detecting said odor marker vapor emanating from the individual's hand containing said hand washing substance wherein said hand is placed proximate to said detector without said hand physically touching said detector, said detector comprising a sensor and one or more indicators operably in communication with said sensor, said detector generating a signal based on the results of said detection.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the detector is a handheld or portable device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a card reader or ID sensor to identify the individual. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said detector and said card reader or ID sensor are capable of wirelessly communicating with each other. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said one or more indicators are selected from the group consisting of visual and aural signals. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said one or more indicators comprise a visual and/or aural alarm responsive to a signal from said detector indicating that said odor marker vapor was not detected. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising one or more remote devices for monitoring or indicating the results of said detection. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising wireless communication capabilities between said detector and said one or more remote devices. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein said one or more indicators are located on said one or more remote devices. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a controller unit, a telemetry unit and a security alert device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hand washing substance is selected from the group consisting of soaps, hand cleansers, germicides, and antibacterial solutions. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hand washing substance comprises a solution containing said detectable odor marker, the detection of the odor marker vapor serving as an alert indicating that the individual has engaged in hand washing. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hand washing substance comprises one or more odor markers. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the odor marker vapor comprises a detectible chemical vapor. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising produces a detectible signature or pattern characteristic of the vapor. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the sensor comprises an array of one or more sensors. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a detector in communication with a security lock mechanism on a door. 
     
     
         18 . A system for monitoring an object washing status comprising:
 a substance comprising a chemical odor marker, said odor marker comprising a detectable odor marker vapor; and   a detector for detecting said odor marker vapor emanating from an object containing said substance wherein said object is placed proximate to said detector without said object physically touching said detector, said detector comprising a sensor and one or more indicators operably in communication with said sensor, said detector generating a signal of washed status based on the results of said detection.   
     
     
         19 . A method of monitoring an individual's hand hygiene comprising:
 providing a hand washing substance comprising a chemical odor marker,   said odor marker comprising
 a detectable odor marker vapor; 
 providing a detector for detecting said odor marker vapor emanating from the individual's hand containing said hand washing substance, said detector comprising a sensor and one or more indicators operably in communication with said sensor, said detector generating a signal based on the results of said detection; 
 placing the individual's hand proximate to said detector without said hand physically touching said detector; 
 detecting for the presence of said odor marker vapor; and 
 generating a signal based on the results of said detecting step. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the detector is a handheld or portable device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the system further comprises a card reader or ID sensor to identify the individual, and the method further comprises the step of identifying the individual. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said detector and said card reader or ID sensor are capable of wirelessly communicating with each other, and the method further includes the step of wirelessly communicating data between said detector and said card reader or ID sensor. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the hand washing substance comprises a solution containing said detectable odor marker, the detection of the odor marker vapor serving as an alert indicating that the individual has engaged in hand-washing process. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  including the additional steps of collecting and storing data regarding the results of the individual's hand hygiene detection. 
     
     
         25 . A method for monitoring object washing status comprising the steps of placing a substance containing an odor marker on an object, washing the object and a detector detecting the odor marker vapor emanating from the object.