Devices, methods and systems for assessment and recordation of reactions to stimuli

Abstract

Provided herein are methods of recording objective responses of a subject to stimuli, and devices and user interfaces (UI) for use therewith. In particular, the present invention provides UIs that allow a user to record objective multivariable responses to stimuli, devices comprising such UIs, and methods of using such UIs and devices to assess the characteristics of a sample or product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of identifying a taste profile of a sample comprising:
 (a) providing, individually one after the other, a plurality of samples containing different concentrations of the same ingredients to a human subject via an automated taste testing device;   (b) the subject recording an objective response to each of the plurality of samples using a touch screen present on a user interface of the taste testing device, wherein the touch screen comprises a visible or invisible multidimensional response grid comprising a first dimension indicating a first taste-testing characteristic and a second dimension indicating a second taste-testing characteristic, wherein a single touch of the response grid records a level of the first and a level of the second taste-testing characteristics present in a sample;   (c) a processor component of the taste testing device recording and storing each of the objective responses in a memory component of the taste testing device; and   (d) the processor component utilizing the stored responses to determine a taste profile of the sample as a function of the concentration of the ingredients in the sample.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises one or more ingredients of a pharmaceutical composition. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises one or more ingredients of a nutraceutical composition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ingredients comprise a sweetener. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the sweetener is sugar. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the sweetener is selected from the group consisting of corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, stevia, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, acesulfame, and saccharin. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ingredients comprise natural and/or artificial ingredients. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first taste-testing characteristic is palatability and the second taste-testing characteristic is taste quality. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first and/or second taste-testing characteristics is selected from the group consisting of bitter, sweet, salty, umami, sour, spicy, minty, cool, metallic, chemesthetic, mouth-feel, appetitiveness, aversiveness, palatability, quality, and a combination of same. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multidimensional response grid further comprises a third dimension indicating a third taste-testing characteristic and a fourth dimension indicating a fourth taste-testing characteristic. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein one or more of the first, second, third and/or fourth taste testing characteristics is selected from the group consisting of bitter, sweet, salty, umami, sour, spicy, minty, cool, metallic, chemesthetic, mouth-feel, appetitiveness, aversiveness, palatability, quality, and a combination of same. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein less than 200 μl of each of the plurality of samples are provided to the human subject. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein less than 100 μl of each of the plurality of samples are provided to the human subject. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject's response is a result of operant conditioning. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is not aware of the sample ingredients being analyzed. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the taste profile is used to identify a concentration of an ingredient at which aversive taste is perceived. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the taste profile is used to identify a preferred concentration of one or more ingredients in the sample. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising step (e). changing a single ingredient in the sample and then repeating steps (a) through (d) in order to generate a second taste profile. 
     
     
         19 . A method of measuring responses from a human subject to test stimuli comprising:
 (a) providing a control stimulus to a human subject;   (b) recording a single-touch response to the stimulus by the subject on a user interface comprising a touch screen, wherein the touch screen comprises a visible or invisible multidimensional response grid comprising a first dimension indicating a first taste-testing characteristic and a second dimension indicating a second taste-testing characteristic, wherein the response grid is configured to indicate, upon a single touch thereof, a level of the first and the second taste-testing characteristics present in a taste testing sample;   (c) rewarding the subject if the single-touch response accurately identified a correct response to the control stimulus;   (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) with additional control stimuli until the subject has been trained to consistently provide the correct single-touch response to stimuli that vary in the different characteristics of each control stimulus;   (e) providing a test stimulus to the human subject;   (f) recording a single-touch response to the stimulus by the subject on the multidimensional response grid of the touch screen;   (g) rewarding the subject;   (h) correlating the response to the test stimulus; and   (i) repeating steps (e)-(h) with additional test stimuli.