Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday it has developed a breath analyzer that can detect a gas produced when fat is burned.
The device, eyed for commercialization in 2015, can detect the amount of acetone in breath exhaled into a nozzle in about 30 seconds. The company hopes the device will be used in such facilities as gyms.
Using the instrument, Toshiba plans to start research in April with Tokyo's Waseda University on the relationship between fat combustion and the amount of acetone found in breath during exercise and at rest.
The instrument can also detect acetaldehyde, which is generated when alcohol is metabolized, as well as methane, a gauge for the condition of the intestine, Toshiba said.
Because the device can detect any type of gas through adjustments to its laser light source, Toshiba hopes to boost the number of detectable gases, including nitric oxide, for testing for asthma.