ACOUSTIC PLETHYSMOGRAPHY FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS

THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A NONINVASIVE, RELIABLE, SAFE, AND RAPID SYSTEM FOR MEASURING BODY VOLUME IN HUMANS AND ANIMALS. A VOLUME MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE WHICH REQUIRES LITTLE SUBJECT COOPERATION, UNLIKE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE METHODS, COULD BE USEFULLY APPLIED TO NEONATES, CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND ANIMALS. THE ACOUSTIC BODY VOLUMETER (ABV) IS AN INNOVATIVE SYSTEM WHICH WILL MEET THESE CRITERIA. IN PHASE I, THE APPLICATION OF THE ABV WILL BE EXTENDED FROM THE MEASUREMENT OF SMALL VOLUMES IN ANECHOIC SPACES TO LARGER VOLUMES IN NONANECHOIC SPACES. AT THE SAME TIME, WE WILL EXTEND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS PARAMETERS, INCLUDING BACKGROUND NOISE, TEMPERATURE CHANGES, AND LOCATION AND MOVEMENT OF THE SUBJECT, ON THE ACCURACY OF THE ABV. IN PHASE II, WE WILL TEST THE ACCURACY OF THE ABV IN MEASURING HUMANS, INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF ADDITIONAL PARAMETERS SUCH AS SUBJECT MOTION, HAIR, CLOTHING, AND RESPIRATION, AND AUTOMATE THE ABV OPERATION. IN PHASE III, THE ABV WILL BE MANUFACTURED AND MARKETED. 1. CLINICS AND RESEARCH LABORATORIES STUDYING NUTRITION AND BODY DEVELOPMENT, 2. AGRICULTURAL COMPANIES STUDYING ANIMAL NUTRITION TO IMPROVE THE BREEDING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS, 3. SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN ATHLETES' BODY COMPOSITION, AND 4. WEIGHT CONTROL CENTERS MONITORING CHANGES IN BODY COMPOSITION.