According to its developers, the Advanced Military Measure of Olfaction (AMMO) testing kit is comprised of assorted scents, and it can be deployed in several different scenarios — from the battlefield to the football field — to screen for TBIs.

Source: SwRI

The AMMO testing kit features six sealed vials that are designed to release odors including fruity and spicy aromas.

In the event that a player or soldier, for instance, is injured, users will squeeze the vial until it turns blue, which indicates that an odor has been released and testing can commence. The injured person is then asked to identify the odor from four possible choices, which are given on an attached card.

The answers for each vial are indicated on a separate card and eventually matched to the correct answers that are concealed behind a sticker.

“Research shows failing to identify the scents correctly correlates highly with positive results for TBI on an MRI exam,” the SwRI team said in a press release.

This AMMO screening tool can reportedly be used immediately on soldiers exposed to blasts on the battlefield rather than waiting for the onset of TBI symptoms, the developers explained.

The inexpensive AMMO kit is currently undergoing stability tests.