sneeze
Enable an AI agent to recognise a reported or observed sneeze, record its episode and context, assess uncertainty and immediate effects, and select proportionate follow-up.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
6 bundles · 11 layers · 18 findings · 28 questions
Sneeze identification Establish whether the recorded event is a sneeze and what supports that judgement.
Identification evidence
Capture the report or observation used to recognise the event.
Basis for sneeze identification
Keep the event label attached to its evidence channel and any disagreement between sources.
- Was this identified as a sneeze by the person, a witness or an observation system? provenance
- What evidence supports the label, and what remains unobserved or disputed? definition
Similar-event boundaries
Separate sneezes from related urges and respiratory actions.
Sneeze versus neighbouring events
Allow ambiguity or reclassification when available evidence cannot distinguish a sneeze from another event.
- Could the observation instead be a cough, throat clear, nose blow or vocalisation? boundary
- Did a sneeze occur, or was there only an urge that passed or was reportedly suppressed? boundary
Sneeze episode Represent when sneezing happened, how events are grouped and how completely they were observed.
Event timing and grouping
Locate individual sneezes in time and explain their grouping.
Episode boundary and count
Treat the episode as an explicitly bounded grouping rather than assuming a universal sneeze-cluster definition.
- When did the observed sequence begin and end, and how many sneezes were counted? measurement
- What rule or reported pause separates this episode from the next? boundary
Expression and observation coverage
Record completed or interrupted expression and limits on event capture.
Count completeness
Distinguish observed sneezes, reported suppressed events and potentially missed events.
- Which events were apparently completed, and which were described as interrupted or suppressed? definition
- Was observation continuous enough for an exact count, or is the count an estimate or minimum? measurement
Sneeze context Record candidate triggers and accompanying observations without assigning an underlying cause.
Preceding exposures
Link the event to reported or observed circumstances immediately preceding it.
Candidate trigger evidence
Keep exposures such as dust, scents or changes in lighting separate from claims that they triggered the sneeze.
- What exposure or change in surroundings preceded the sneeze, and by how long? measurement
- Who attributed the sneeze to that circumstance, and was that attribution based on this event or a reported recurring pattern? provenance
Accompanying observations
Attach relevant symptoms and circumstances while preserving their independent identity.
Associated symptom record
Record reported nasal irritation, discharge, discomfort or other accompanying observations without converting them into a diagnosis.
- What symptoms were reported before, during or after the sneeze? measurement
- Were symptoms explicitly absent, simply not mentioned or not assessed? provenance
Immediate sneeze effects Describe the event's observable consequences for nearby surroundings and ongoing activity.
Covering and contact
Capture covering behaviour and directly observed contact with expelled material.
Observed covering and contact
Record visible covering and contact while leaving unmeasured dispersal and infectiousness unresolved.
- Was a tissue, elbow, sleeve, hand or another covering used, or was covering unobserved? measurement
- Was contact with hands, objects or another person directly observed, reported or merely suspected? provenance
Activity and personal effects
Record immediate discomfort and interruption of the person's activity.
Sneeze-related interruption
Identify what the event interrupted and whether its immediate consequence remains unresolved.
- Did the sneeze interrupt speech, movement or another task, and for how long? measurement
- Did the person report discomfort or another immediate effect requiring separate assessment? action
Sneeze response Connect recorded evidence to proportionate clarification, practical assistance and handoff.
Event-specific assistance
Select immediate assistance according to the observed event and activity.
Practical follow-up
Ground prompts in recorded covering, contact and interruption rather than issuing the same response to every sneeze.
- Do recorded covering or contact observations warrant a hygiene prompt under the applicable guidance? action
- Does the interrupted activity require a pause or a check before resuming? action
Clarification and handoff
Identify when the sneeze record needs correction or a separate assessment workflow.
Limits of event-level decisions
Keep unresolved identity questions within event clarification and route broader health concerns to the relevant model.
- Would clarifying event identity, repetition or accompanying symptoms change the next action? action
- Which reported concern requires a separate health assessment, and what event evidence should accompany the handoff? boundary
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of sneeze this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of sneeze this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of sneeze this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of sneeze this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of sneeze this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of sneeze this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of sneeze this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of sneeze this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Information and virtual systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- INF
- Domain
- INF.KNW
- Other names and narrower kinds
- photic sneeze reflex, Sexually induced sneezing, Snatiation
What it is Filled
A sneeze is a protective, stereotyped respiratory reflex in which a deep inspiratory phase is followed by a forceful, coordinated expiratory burst through the nose and mouth that expels irritants from the nasal airway.
In scope
- Individual sneeze events and explicitly bounded sequences of sneezes
- Evidence distinguishing a sneeze from similar respiratory or vocal events
- Observed expression, including interrupted or reportedly suppressed events
- Circumstances and exposures associated with the event
- Immediate effects on the person, nearby people and ongoing activity
- Event-specific recording, clarification and response
Out of scope
- Diagnosis and management of allergies, infections or other underlying conditions
- Longitudinal health records for the person who sneezes
- Coughing, throat clearing, nose blowing and other separately identified events
- Environmental exposure monitoring beyond the sneeze's immediate context
- Pathogen identification and transmission-risk modelling
- Clinical treatment plans and medication selection
Why it exists Filled
Enable an AI agent to recognise a reported or observed sneeze, record its episode and context, assess uncertainty and immediate effects, and select proportionate follow-up.
Distinguishing features Filled
- A sneeze report or characteristic observed event supports identification; a sharp sound alone does not distinguish it reliably from a cough or vocalisation.
- A reported nasal tickle or urge to sneeze supports identification, but its absence or unavailability does not exclude a sneeze.
- A respiratory expulsion identified as coughing should remain a cough unless additional evidence supports reclassification.
- Deliberate sustained nose blowing into a tissue is distinct from a sneeze, even when the two occur together.
- An urge that passes without a reported or observed sneeze is recorded as an uncompleted urge, rather than counted automatically as a sneeze.
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Infer a person's illness from sneezing in recordings and act on it without consent.
- Shame or exclude people for sneezing.
- Diagnose allergy or infection from a sneeze alone.
- Advise suppressing sneezes in ways that can injure the ears or throat.
Only with a human decision
- Excluding a person from work or school on health grounds.
May
- Explain sneezing as a reflex and common causes such as allergy or colds.
- Encourage covering sneezes and handwashing to limit spread of infection.
Moral aspects Filled
- Health surveillance from everyday sounds intrudes on privacy.
- Good hygiene protects vulnerable people from infection.
Who is affected
- People who sneeze
- Vulnerable people nearby
Owners Filled
Steward
Nobody owns the reflex; each person answers for their own hygiene.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q169872 - registry parent class
- Q179405 - registry parent class
- Q42183538 - registry parent class
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.sneeze
- Wikidata: Q35830 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35830)
Direct properties not applicable Not applicable
- Identification status: reported sneeze | observed probable sneeze | ambiguous event | reclassified event
- Evidence channel: self-report | witness report | audio | video | sensor record; multiple allowed
- Event time: timestamp or time interval, with precision and time zone when known
- Episode sneeze count: number of sneezes, with exact, estimated or lower-bound qualification
- Inter-sneeze interval: seconds; unknown when not measured
- Expression status: apparently completed | reportedly suppressed or interrupted | uncertain
- Candidate trigger association: linked exposure or circumstance, with temporal relation and attribution source
- Reported accompanying symptoms: linked symptom observations with timing; none reported | not assessed
- Covering behaviour: tissue | elbow or sleeve | hand | uncovered | other | unobserved
- Immediate functional effect: no interruption reported | brief interruption | task stopped | other reported effect | unknown
Plane INF: no invented physical properties.
Recognition optional Filled
- A brief inhalation may precede a sudden forceful expulsion of air through the nose and mouth.
- The eyes often close while the face contracts and the head or upper body jerks forward.
- A sneeze may occur in a short repeated series, although appearance alone cannot reliably establish the event or its cause.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- Record a sneeze with its identification evidence and uncertainty.
- Group or separate repeated sneezes using an explicit episode boundary.
- Compare event timing with reported exposures while preserving causal uncertainty.
- Ask focused questions when sneeze identity, count or immediate effects are unclear.
- Offer context-appropriate hygiene or task-pause prompts under an applicable response policy.
- Pass accompanying concerns to an appropriate health-assessment workflow without diagnosing from the sneeze.
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Spread of respiratory infections through droplets.
- Sudden sneezing fits can cause accidents while driving.
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- The World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, classifies sneezing under code R06.7.
Context of use required Filled
- Sneezing occurs as a respiratory reflex in everyday settings and during observation of nasal irritation or illness.
- An episode can be recorded with its timing, accompanying symptoms and environmental context to support communication and assessment.
Sources Filled
- Sneeze reflex: facts and fiction - Clinical physiology of the sneeze reflex, afferent/efferent pathways, photic sneeze, snatiation, intractable sneezing, and distinction from cough.
- Wikidata item Q35830: sneeze - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Sneeze - general description of the item
Open questions
- What recognition criteria are sufficiently reliable for self-report, audio, video and sensor observations across intended populations?
- What grouping convention should define a sneeze episode, and should it vary with the observation setting?
- How should reportedly suppressed or interrupted sneezes contribute to counts when no completed expulsion is observed?
- What evidence is needed to represent a recurring trigger association beyond a person's attribution?
- Which authoritative guidance should govern hygiene prompts and health-assessment handoffs in each intended deployment?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q35830/spec.json