Disclosed is a system, method, and device for detecting non-nutritive
sucking events produced by an infant; patterns comprising such events
(i.e., rhythmic sucking patterns, or RSPs); and relating said events
and/or RSPs to an infant's response to a olfactory sensory input. The
frequency and/or amplitude and/or other characteristics of non-nutritive
sucking can change in response to such inputs. Accordingly, changes to
RSPs offer detectable and measurable indicia of an infant's perception of
these inputs. Furthermore, such information may be used to support and/or
substantiate marketing communications to consumers; to guide selection
and/or management of research-and-development projects; to help choose
product designs that elicit RSPs identified as correlating with the well
being of an infant; and other such uses.